


A Pair of Wings

by Perci (Percimmon)



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Violence, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders Being Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Fantasy, Gen, Gore, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Magic, Minor Character Death, Suicidal Thoughts, cursing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:40:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 26,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24616195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Percimmon/pseuds/Perci
Summary: Angelmont is a dazzling kingdom for aspiring angel hunters and sorcerers alike. Though, when Logan finally sees the dark truth of this beautiful place, he’s casted out and labeled the local lunatic of the kingdom. He saw no logic in angel hunting and its cruel practices. Now he’s determined to prove them wrong, but after nearly ten years wasting away in a forest and losing hope, he’s on the brink of throwing his invention away. That is, until a curious angel falls from the sky right in front of him.I try to update when I can!a/n: If there are other warning you think this story needs, please don't be afraid to tell me and I'll add it to the tags!
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 34
Kudos: 97





	1. Memories

A scream rang from the forest, echoing into the night sky. Screeches of fear erupted from the small angel not too far from Logan. The angel’s wings were quickly pinned down to the ground as they desperately tried to claw away at the metal net that wrapped their body. Though, even with their sharp claws and bird-like hind legs, the net wouldn’t budge open. They tried to find at least some opening or escape from the torture they were about to endure. They begged for their life as an angel hunter grabbed their knife, scarping off some of the down feathers off the base of their wing. The angel continued to try to wrestle themself out of the grasp of the angel hunter that held their wings down. Time seemed to slow down as the angel hunter grabbed an axe and was taking aim at the base of their wing. Soon, out of desperation, they tried to flap their wings out of the angel hunter’s hold. Finally, their hand released, his wings much stronger than them, but suddenly, blood gushed everywhere as the other angel hunter chopped off his wing.

  
The angel’s wing was cut at the top of the base, leaving that muscle intact while the rest of the severed wing laid on the forest floor. An immense pain grew on the left side of their body and blood started to pool down the young angel’s back and on the floor. In not a million years did they think they would end up being hunted down for their wings, yet here they were, tears now streaming down their face. Even with the throbbing pain making them want to just lie down and bleed to death, they took the opportunity to escape to the trees, quickly climbing them and running as far away from the humans as possible.

  
Logan watched behind a tree in horror. There was red blood everywhere as his father chopped off the angel’s wing. His heart raced as he watched the group of angel hunters try and chase after the poor young angel, now flightless. A dizziness made him breathe heavily, trying to get his composure back. As much as he wanted to help the angel, his father would punish him if he ever saw he was following them during a hunting mission. Instead, he took the chance to run back home, now wanting nothing to do with angel hunting. He came out here to learn of what he thought was a beautiful craft, but all he learned was how to murder and torture an innocent soul. There seemed to be no logic in this horrific craft. An infinite amount of questions ran through the child’s head. Why do we have to use angel wings? Why did humans have to take away something so sacred to angels just so they could fly? Angels weren’t monsters that needed to be slain; it was all a story that blinded him from the truth. All he wanted now was to go home and cry, but he promised himself he’d find some solution.

  
✰✰✰✰✰

“Logan, you are a disgrace to our family!” Logan’s father hollered, the blood boiling in his veins. After years of Logan keeping his mouth shut, he couldn’t stand pretending to be an aspiring angel hunter like all his peers and family. He couldn’t stand shooting another innocent out of the sky for something that seemed so trivial in his eyes. It made no sense to him and not even the most extreme angel hunters would change his mind. He stood his ground as his father yelled, rage filling the entire house.

“None of this makes sense! You don’t need to hunt for angel wings so we can fly!” Logan hollered right back at his father, “I’ll prove to you I can make my own without murder!” And with that, he was suddenly pushed out onto the dirty street, his chest and back in pain from the impact. A familiar dizziness rolled through his head as he heard two items land beside him.

“You’re not my son… Never come back.”

✰✰✰✰✰

A slam echoed loudly through the small cabin, making Logan jolt up in surprise. He sighed as he realized he fell asleep at his desk again. Sometimes he wondered why he even bothered to have a bed when all he did was endlessly work on his invention. Looking around for the source of the noise, he saw the door wide open, the wind blowing in giving the room a spring chill. He walked up to the door sighing as he closed it. Nothing ever seemed to rid his mind of his failures, but, somehow, it was what made him push for so long. He knew he was right, all he had to do was just to get his artificial wings to work. Though, his hope did grow thinner every year, his stubbornness made him push to his limits.

Logan walked back over to his wooden desk, looking at his blueprints. It took exceptionally long for what he thought could be the perfect design and now he was finally fleshing that idea out. To the right, there were two frames made of iron that resembled the bone structure of an angel’s wings. A pile of leather sat on the floor next to the desk, waiting to be put on the iron frames. Another sigh escaped from him as he sat back down on his wooden chair and picked up the pile of leather. He grabbed a sharp dagger and started to slowly cut the leather out into the shape of a wing, making sure every cut he made was accurate. His eyes were already heavy again, begging for sleep, but he was so close to finishing his wings and desperate to touch the sky, but he continued like he did every day, his bones aching from nonstop hurt.

A rustle came from the trees above as Virgil moved across them swiftly. The weight on his back was a bit uneven, but he had simply gotten used to it. He always came over to the mysterious cabin, always in wonder who exactly was the human living in the middle of a forest. A good nine years had passed since he first noticed their presence. It seemed weird to him that a human would live out here for so long without the company of another human. The good thing was he never saw this particular human go out angel hunting. The only harm they seemed to have caused were over the fish that swam in the river just beside their cabin when they went fishing. A familiar muffled clang and the sound of cutting rang from the cabin as he sat in the treetops. All he knew was that they were some sort of inventor, but what exactly could they have been making? There weren’t many clues, but Virgil was soon to find out.


	2. A Discovery

Logan grumbled to himself as he picked up his precious box and went outside to sit. There wasn’t much in the box except a gift he kept dearly, and, as old as it was, it looked to be in pristine condition. He sat down on the porch of his small cabin as he looked out to the kingdom he used to call his home. A sigh came out as he looked down at his old gift his father had given him. It was one of the few things that brought him some comfort and it was something that pressured him to continue his invention. Today, though, he felt absolutely hopeless. He couldn’t bring himself to continue working on it. His eyes were weary from all the sleepless nights, and when he did sleep, it was always at his desk. Even with his weariness, the thought of resting he simply pushed away. He was so close to finishing his invention that resting was not an option. A wind blew as he watched the sun rise up in all of its glory. Maybe its beaming light would at least wake him up more.

A week had passed since Virgil visited the cabin. Quietly, he hid in the trees as he noticed the human was looking up at the sunset with that box he must’ve seen for the millionth time. Very rarely did he see the human open it, and when they did, he could never get a good look at it. It must’ve been very dear to them if they’ve kept it for so long. He looked over to the rising sun from the trees. Though he didn’t like to be awake at this time, he had to admit it was beautiful. He loved how the sky turned from purple to red, to orange, and finally blue. It made for a beautiful scene as the sunlight shone onto the mountains just behind him and the small forest that separated Angelmont and angel territory. He could feel the warmth of the morning star, even in the cover of the treetops and wind. It was these times that made him feel just a bit more at ease, especially when going into the forest. Many angel hunters went out at night so there weren’t many humans up so early at this hour. Of course, except the human that sat at their porch.

Virgil, as much as he didn’t like humans, felt pity for the human. He’d always hear them working on something, never giving a break for themself. In all honesty, he wondered how they survived out in the wild like this for so long, especially when a _certain_ angel is out and about patrolling the forest. To him, there seemed to be nothing stopping them from simply living in Angelmont. It was a _utopia_ for humans, at least that was what he heard when travelers sailed down the river. So why did they torture themself, living alone? It was a question that always scratched his head when he came to the cabin now. He liked living alone plenty, but to isolate themself from their own species still seemed like madness in the angel’s mind. And from the likes of it, it looked like they were on the verge of insanity. There was rage in their eyes, but he’d always notice a sprinkle of hope, no matter what mood they were in.

Logan, as frustrated as he was with himself, decided to take a break and simply rest for the day. He didn’t want to cut or burn himself in an accident because of his tiredness. Plus, an injury would slow his progress down on his invention. It was the first break he had taken in years since he was exiled. Every day, he worked tirelessly from sunrise to sunset, so to take a break felt awfully weird for Logan. He took one last look at his gift and soon went back inside. It felt much warmer inside the cabin now, most likely since the wind made him a bit chilly. He looked over to the bed that was straight across from the door. Suddenly, a thought came to his head. He hadn’t slept in his own bed for _months_. Gently, he put the box down at the base of his bed and touched the blanket he made out of old clothes. The softness, as worn as the blanket was, made him wide eyed. He hadn’t slept in his bed for so long that the softness from just a blanket filled him with joy. Soon, he tucked himself into his straw-filled bed and quickly fell asleep.

Virgil watched as the human went back inside their cozy cabin. For a few minutes, he tried to tune in to see if they’d start working again but not a single slash or clang came from the cabin. It was very unlikely of them not to be doing something and he’d only seen them resting once in the nine years he’d taken notice of their presence. Perhaps they were exhausted or even weary? As quietly as possible, he climbed down the tree he was in and hid behind another, making sure he didn’t hear the human stir inside the dark wooden cabin. He perked up his pointy ears, listening. Once, he heard nothing from inside, crouched down on all fours. The wall he was hiding behind had a large horizontal window that faced Angelmont, letting the light in from the sun. There was also a very distinct human smell. It was somewhat meaty, but also another unfamiliar smell to it. The smell was a bit on the weaker side but certainly clung to the old dark walls. It was almost as warm and soft as an old tree, damp from the rain, but without the kick after.

The sun was starting to rise quickly, and, even though there were few angel hunters in the morning, it was still incredibly dangerous for Virgil to be out in the open. Slowly, he peeked through the windows, finally able to see the inside for the first time. On the far-right corner was the human, asleep in their nest, as what angels would call it. A strange stone structure was close to the human’s nest that was filled with some burnt logs. There was also a table to the left of the bed with what he presumed to be food. Though, what interested Virgil the most was the table that was to his left side near the window. It had what looked to be a flat sheet from a tree with writing on it. Next to it was a candle, most likely for light, and a metal frame that was on a stand. Half of it was covered in leather and it was rather long. He noticed just how thin the leather was which was surprising. Was this some kind of armor or weapon? Though, as he inspected more and more, his eyes widened at his realization. Slowly, he raised his right wing to compare it to the metal frame. The shape of it was perfect. Now, Virgil finally knew what that poor human had been working on. They’ve been making their own pair of wings.


	3. Fishing Out an Angel

The water splashed around as schools of fish swam down the river in the warm spring afternoon. Not a storm cloud or hint of gray covered the sky. It truly was a beautiful day to catch fish, Logan thought to himself. Instead of hunting down for deer or rabbit, fishing seemed much less time consuming. Plus, he wanted to take the opportunity to get some food reserves, so he didn’t have to fish so much. He sat under the shade of a tall tree near the river that was parallel to the mountains beyond. His cabin wasn’t too far from the river but just far enough that angels or other creatures that lived around here wouldn’t notice. A cool breeze passed him as he took a whiff of the fish he just caught. It was fairly large and would make an excellent dinner later. Gently, he placed it in a wooden box with the five other fish he caught. Soon, he took his fishing pole again and went to cast it out again until he heard a nearby tree rustle.

Virgil’s heart raced as the human suddenly looked in his direction. Quickly, he hid behind the tree, hoping the leaves would cover him up enough. That was _much_ too close of a call for his liking. As curious as he was, no way would he let a human see him or take advantage of him, even in his crippled form. He made a mental note to be quieter as he peeked out of his hiding spot in the treetops. The trees were rather tall, so at least the human wouldn’t be so lucky in shooting him down. But a thought itched at his mind. What difference would it make if the human saw him? He was already miserable as it was, so even if the human did kill him, it would make no difference. And if the human truly was kind? In all honesty, he wouldn’t know how to react. All his life, he thought humans were monsters, yet he hadn’t seen this particular human shoot down an angel, let alone take out a crossbow.

Virgil looked around to see where the closest tree to him was. There was a small clearing around the river which made it difficult for him to just hide all the time here. The beaming light from the afternoon sun made it difficult to see since angels were semi-nocturnal, but he was sure he was at least smart enough to still accurately tell how far the tree was from him. He'd snuck around the forest so late in the morning that maybe his eyes have adjusted just enough for him to really see properly. It was very risky, but curiosity was starting to get to him. Even with his strong lingering fear, he desperately wanted to see the human up close. It might even be a chance to… No… In no way could he ever form a friendship with a human! Sure, there might be some merciful humans, but trying to befriend one only seemed like trouble. All he wanted to do was to just watch what they were doing. But maybe, just maybe he could try and talk to them. Finally, he found a branch that seemed stable and close enough. Quickly, he tried to leap over to the other tree, but soon learned how the sunlight and his eyes had deceived him.

One slip from the branch was enough to get Virgil tumbling down from the tall trees. He tried to grab onto the tree or even a branch with his long claws, but he just continued to fall. A dizziness made his head spiral. The rushing wind didn’t help him either, only pushing him away from the tree. Suddenly, a thump rang through his head, making him close his eyes. His world was now black. On the ground, Logan heard a strange racket, and suddenly a crack when he saw an angel practically hurtling toward him. He quickly ran out of the way as fast as possible. His heart pounded as the angel finally landed with a thump.

Logan hesitantly took a look at the knocked-out angel as he hid behind a tree. As curious as he was, a rush of instinctive fear pulsed through him. They could wake up at any moment and attack him! Plus, it was very unlikely this angel would trust him in the slightest. He scanned their body, looking for any signs of injury. It wasn’t too difficult as he soon saw bright red blood dripping down their right wrist. The red stained their purple fur that ran up their arms and stopped at the elbow. His heart finally slowed after a minute or two, and now that he was somewhat calmer, he realized the angel would most likely be quite weak if he didn’t treat the wound. A part of his mind urged him to help while another side argued he’d only get hurt. Though, another thought came to mind. He’d been working on making his own artificial wings, so maybe it was good to finally meet and get to know a creature he’d been wanting to protect for years.

A deep breath filled Logan’s lungs as he walked toward the angel. Quickly, he washed the injury with some water from the river. He pulled out a small rag he had in his pocket and gently tied it around the injured wrist. Soon, there was no more blood dripping down from their wrist. The wind suddenly started to pick up, a chill now running down his spine. He looked up at the sky, dark storm clouds rolling in. Certainly, the angel wouldn’t be comfortable soaking wet. He looked over to his cabin in the distance then back at the angel. How in the world was he going to get them to his cabin? From what he learned as a child, he knew they weighed around 150 to 200 pounds, so it’d be a challenge to move them. Suddenly, thunder rang in his ear, the storm clouds approaching faster. He sighed, the only option being to carry the angel himself. He didn’t want to be wet from the cold rain, so, as gently as possible, he tucked in their wing, and lifted them up.

To Logan’s surprise, he held the angel in his arms quite easily. They were still heavy but certainly not as heavy as they should be. They were _much_ too light for an angel. It almost scared him a bit. Had this angel not been eating well? Was there something else he didn’t notice? Quickly, he shook his head before he started to ponder too much and walked back to his homely cabin. For a moment, he looked back over to his box of fish, making a note to go back for it later. Right now, he just needed to focus on getting this angel to safety. Even as terrified as he was, something about this felt very right. Whatever the feeling was, it made his heart thump madly, as if he was about to embark on a long adventure he yearned for all his life.


	4. Some Odd Company & an Invitation

The sound of thunder rang inside Logan’s cabin as he placed the box of fish inside a small cool hole in the floor. Quietly, he placed the covering back then looked over to the angel who he laid in his bed. They were too big to properly fit, their hind legs and claws hanging out of the bed, but they seemed comfortable for the most part. From what he could tell, they looked to be about six feet tall, a bit on the smaller side for an adult angel. They had beautiful dark purple fur that covered their entire hind legs as well as their arms up to their elbows. Their claw-like hands had a bit of black padding similar to a dog’s and the same was on their feet. The ears on their head were elf-like, matching with the same purple fur on their arms and legs. Though, the one thing that captured his eyes the most was the beautiful wing that laid on top of their body. The feathers were a dark purple just like the fur but there was a small lighter streak of pinkish purple at the bottom of their wing. It looked soft to the touch and the feathers seemed to shine, even with only the candlelight.

The wind started to pick up and the rain sounded like it could smash through the windows if it wanted to. Logan sighed as he walked to his long window and closed the shutters, now only the fireplace and a few candles lighting up the place. A warmth contrasted the small amount of wind that passed through the cracks of the door and the windows. Another strike of lightning cracked through the sky, he being able to hear it from quite a few miles away. Even with the presence of the angel, the mood was calm, the rain soon turning into just white noise. He sighed as he grabbed a chair from his desk and pulled it over close to the bed. Quietly, he sat down as he continued to study the angel before him. For one, something about them seemed so familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

Suddenly, an idea came to Logan’s mind. He gently grabbed his notebook and pen from his desk. Another bang of thunder rang through his ears. The angel looked sound asleep, despite the loud noise. A smile formed on his face as he looked more closely at their wing and started to sketch it out onto the paper. Perhaps studying their wing could help him improve his design. Plus, this was the closest he had ever been to an actual living angel. Sure, he had seen dead one’s from the angel hunters who left their bodies, but only at a distance. They had always taken their wings anyway, so he could never study them properly. There also always seemed to be other angels flying around and he did _not_ want to risk getting attacked. Getting attacked meant going back to Angelmont, and he was certainly not welcomed there.

Logan sat next to the angel, quietly sketching out the wing stretched out on their body. It wasn’t terribly difficult to sketch out though an arm was in the way. He scribbled down some notes on where their joints were and how it bended. He also took note of how the feathers were angled, but soon he found something in particular. A small scar stood out amongst the purple feathers around its midsection. It looked very old and seemed to be completely healed. The angel didn’t seem to mind its presence as they stretched their right wing. Surely, if it was a recent wound, their wing would be folded up to not strain it, but it didn’t seem to be the case.

Logan sighed as he finished sketching the angel’s wing out. He studied his work briefly then looked back at the wing, making sure there were no mistakes in his sketch. Once he fixed the one or two errors he saw, he closed his notebook and smiled. Quietly, he took his chair back to his desk and sat down. He placed the notebook to the side and looked at his blueprints. It took him a full year to perfect his design, and with his new sketch, he could make sure his wings would work. Gently, he opened his notebook to the sketch, comparing it with his own design. From nearly a decade of study, it looked almost the same as his blueprints, though there were a few tweaks he wanted to fix. He soon picked up some leather and a knife, cutting into it, continuing to work on his wings.

✰✰✰✰✰

The crackle of a fire filled Virgil’s ears as he started to wake up from his deep sleep. There was an unfamiliar warmth that seemed to linger in the room he was in. It almost felt cozy in a sense. His back was greeted with the softness of cloth and hay as he tried to sit up. As soon as he opened his eyes, terror filled his heart. Where was he? Why was he here? His eyes widened as he started to breathe heavily, trying to calm himself down. It felt like his world was spinning until a voice cut through the fog in his mind.

“You’re awake,” the stranger said simply.

Virgil turned to his left, his heart sinking. The human he’d been watching had captured him.

“Would you like some supper?” the human asked. Next to them was a small fire and above were fish cooking on a stick. For a moment, he looked around the room, thinking. This was his chance to finally meet a human! Though, there was still a lingering fear that weighed his heart. What if they planned to harm him? Or even torture him to no end? Quickly, he mentally shook the thoughts out of his head. If this human truly wanted to kill him, he would’ve been dead as soon as he hit the ground. Finally, he looked back at the human.

“Y-Yes… please…” he said, some weariness in his voice.

The human smiled as they carefully grabbed a fish off the fire and jabbed it with another stick, handing it to Virgil. He sniffed it then took a bite of the cooked flesh. It wasn’t much different from when he’d occasionally cook any meat, but it was nice that the human even offered him any food at all.

“My name’s Logan Clarke,” the human said.

“Virgil Smith,” he replied.

Virgil watched as the human ate their fish, question now stirring about them in his head. With some of his initial fear gone, he wasn’t as scared in their presence, but of course, still kept his guard up, just in case. He was anxious like that, after all. Quietly, he adjusted himself on the hay-filled cloth he sat on, stretching his wing and the remaining stub of muscle that used to be his left wing.

The room was mostly silent as they both ate, the occasional crackle from the fire only stirring. Virgil took note at how Logan seemed to glance at him, most likely due to his missing wing. A flaw like such would certainly get stares, and he was no exception. Plenty of angels had either given him pity or mocked him, both he hated. He wasn’t sure just how he survived all those years without being able to fly. Hell, he had even thought of cutting off his other wing. The thing was as useless as himself.

“So…” Virgil started, “why didn’t you kill me back there?”

“There wouldn’t be much use killing you,” Logan said was he took another bite of his fish, “It’s illogical killing sentient beings for sport.”

“So you’re not an angel hunter? Why’d you bring me here then?” he sneered.

There was a quietness in the room, but the tension that had filled the room started to disappear. Virgil saw as Logan’s eyes widened, just for a split second. A hint of fear shined through until they went back to their dull state.

“It was about to rain, and I didn’t want any angel hunters to find you,” Logan said, “You seemed fairly knocked out as well.”

Virgil huffed as he now finished his fish, leaving the bones behind. He watched as Logan finished their fish, but he noticed how they’d look at them. Their eyes were filled with curiosity, most likely because of his missing wing. To be honest, it was much better than getting a look of disgust or pity. It almost comforted him in a way, not being seen as some abnormality. Then again, Logan was just as much of an interest to him as well. In a way, the impossible presented itself to him. He’d always thought of humans as monsters, yet here was one who’d given him shelter and food.

Logan threw the fish bones into the fire then extended his arm to take Virgil’s. Soon, Virgil gave the bones to him when a sharp pain stung at his wrist. He winced, looking down at his right wrist that was bandaged. “I must’ve scraped myself pretty bad on the way down,” he thought. As he looked up, he saw as Logan approached him, and instinctively backed up.

“Wait—” Logan approached closer— “I can help with that.”

There was a tense look in Virgil’s eyes, watching the human’s every movement. He was shaken by how close they were now. His mind screamed at him to just get out of the cabin, but he fought the urge. With a bit of hesitation, he offered his scrapped wrist and let Logan touch it. Suddenly, his wrist started to glow a dark blue, immediately easing the pain. He watched as Logan closed their eyes, concentrating their energy on his wrist. The blue energy soon traveled down their body, wincing a bit, then down into the earth, it now disappearing. He was stunned at how much of his pain was gone.

“That spell should work for a while,” Logan said, now backing up from Virgil.

“I… I didn’t know humans could use magic,” Virgil said. He’d always seen Roman and Remus healing injured angels, but he never thought humans could do the same.

“We have much to learn from each other then,” Logan said with a warm tone to their voice. Virgil caught them again looking at his wingless side and he hid the small muscle that was left of it behind his back. He wondered what in the world could that human be plotting in their mind.

“Maybe we could meet again?” Logan asked.

“I’ll think about it,” Virgil said as he walked over to the door and went out. A small smile formed on his face as he disappeared into the night and back into the mountains.


	5. "You'll be okay..."

The faint tumble of pebbles was enough to get Roman on high alert. His pointy ears perked up, trying to locate the sound that cut through the dead silence of his and his brother's hollow in the mountains. He looked over to his brother Remus, nodding to him to gear up for a fight. Remus nodded back, grabbing some poisonheads he just finished making, the juice from the berries covering the sharp rocks. Both the brothers hid in the darkness of the cave, waiting for the worst. He defeated all sorts of beasts that lurked in these woods, whether it be bears or wolves. But none came close to the terror that were humans. They were the ones that made all angels fear for their lives. He wanted nothing more than to kill them all and make them suffer, just like they did to countless other angels and… his brother. 

Another tumble of pebbles echoed into the hollow, both brothers starting to get in position for a sneak attack. Each brother was on each side of the big cave they called home, and they certainly would defend it as much as possible. Again, another noise entered the cave. A scratch at the rock walls filled Roman's ears. Suddenly, a certain angel came to mind, now knowing exactly who that could be. Still, though, he didn't want to lose his guard, so he motioned one of his wings for Remus to stay close. Slowly, he approached the lip of the entrance and looked down cautiously, only to see Virgil trying to climb back up to their hollow.

“Ah, it’s only you,” Roman said, with a bit of relief in his voice.

“Help me up?” Virgil asked, trying to reach out to Roman.

Roman huffed at the question but soon lent a hand to the crippled angel before him. Virgil grabbed on, now climbing up the rest of the way into the dark hallow. They slipped a few times, making him grunt as he tried to pull them up. It was a shame they couldn’t fly. It must’ve been a constant pain for them to get anywhere, especially high in the mountains. At least they seemed like a good climber and there were a few trees that grew on the rocky walls for them to climb. Though, he had to admit, sometimes it was a pain to help them, especially with their grim demeanor. Even so, he promised himself he’d protect every angel in these mountains and forest, even Virgil, that gloomy poor angel.

Once Roman pulled them up into the hollow, he stared at the bandage Virgil wore. A closer inspection showed the small scrapes they had on their body. He knew they were always out and about, ready to cause some trouble or mischief, but tonight, he just seemed to have one too many. It even looked like they limped from time to time. He hated whenever they’d go close to the edge of the forest, almost into human territory. Just one day, they’d be seen by a human and be hunted down again. On the subject of humans…

“You look much more injured tonight than usual…” Roman said, suspicion creeping into his voice.

“Just fell out of a tree. Don’t worry, _mother_ ,” Virgil sneered, his voice filled with sarcasm.

Roman huffed again as Remus started to get more poisonheads and arrowheads. That reminded him to get his leather boots and gloves that fit snugly over his claw-like feet and hands, only the claws exposed for attacking. Soon, he went over to his corner of the hollow, taking his boots and gloves, putting them on. Footsteps rang in the hollow as Virgil approached him. The bandage on their wrist conjured up questions in his head. Where were they? What were they doing? What exactly happened? As much as he wanted answers, he needed to leave soon to patrol the forest below. To a lot of the angels that lived in the forests and mountains of Angelmont, he’d become the sole protector of this place. Some even called him a king, which he liked, but he wasn’t sure the title fit him. A lot of pressure was put upon him, but he took up the responsibility greatly.

“You stay here while Remus and I head out for the night,” Roman said, “More people will be coming over soon.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it,” Virgil said as he walked over to the pile of wood and started to make a fire to warm the place up.

“More people should be coming over to help soon. Make yourself useful,” Roman said as he got some weapons for himself.

With the help of Remus, they made all sorts of weapons that could kill humans in an instant. One of his favorites were fireheads, sharpened stones or coals heated up to pierce and burn a human’s skin. Gently, he took some from the small hot pit that was in his corner of the hollow and placed them into a small leather bag that wrapped around his waist. He looked over to Remus as he headed back to the entrance of the hollow. Out in the open, he already saw some angels down below, guarding the mountains. Most were hidden in trees, waiting for any humans who might wander into the forest looking for trouble. Tonight, it was windy, and the floor was still damp from the rain earlier. He smiled, the cool dampness of the dark forest enticing him to adventure. Even with such a big responsibility on his hands, he tried to have some fun with it, battling human after human.

“Just… be careful you guys,” Virgil said.

Roman and Remus simply nodded, flying down to the forest, ready for a fight.

✰✰✰✰✰

The large fire crackled throughout the hollow, more angels rushing in to bring in the injured. There seemed to be more tonight. There always seemed to be more… The last few nights put Virgil in a daze. He’d seen death before, and he wasn’t afraid, but the number of injured angels that were now at the hollow was starting to concern him. His heart was always in a constant state of chill, barriers always being held up, but there were moments he wished he could help. All he ever did was tend to the fire. He knew no magic and his presence usually scared a lot of angels, with his missing wing and all. He looked over to his bandage Logan had put on his wrist. It still stung occasionally as he tended the fire, but, for the most part, it felt okay. He was still amazed at how Logan was able to get rid of most of his pain so easily. Perhaps he should learn how to do that spell, so he’d be just a bit more useful than just tending a fire. Perhaps he should meet them again…

Virgil walked over to the back of the hollow, making sure not to step onto the injured angels that lay on soft hay beds across the floor. He was about to grab some more wood until he heard a quiet voice echo in the cave. Looking around, he saw a small child, most likely only nine or ten years old. They laid down far over in the corner, almost covered in full darkness, only a hint of light coming from the fire lighting their left side.

“Come here, please…” the little child practically whispered to Virgil.

Virgil’s eyes widened, surprised by them. Not many angels wanted care from him, especially not children. To them, he was some sort of abomination, and he couldn’t blame them when he was one. Quietly, he walked over to them with some wood still in hand. He placed them on the ground next to him then turned to look over to the child. As he knelt down, there seemed to be something off about them, and with closer inspection, it hit him. Their left wing was missing, just like his… No wonder they called him over. The wound was bandaged quite well, but he could tell there was a clean, perfect cut that separated the wing from their small frail body. This was definitely the doing of an angel hunter.

“What’s it like only having one wing?” the child asked, their voice hoarse.

“It’s hell…” Virgil said with no hesitation. The truth was much better than a lie.

“Oh…”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it…”

Virgil looked over to the child once again, finally noticing all the other bandages around their body. There was one that wrapped their entire midsection and another that covered one of their eyes. In all honesty, they looked in way worse shape than he ever was, yet this kid somehow had a small smile on their face.

“I- I feel numb…” the child whispered.

Quickly, Virgil looked around for a healing angel, but all of them looked busy. “I’ll try and find someone to help…”

“No! Don’t leave me…” they exclaimed.

Virgil blinked in surprise as he turned back to the child. They had grabbed onto his hand which was so small compared to his. He desperately wanted to get someone to help but leaving the child wouldn’t do much good either. Sighing, he decided to stay with them and sat down next to them.

“I feel sleepy…” they said.

“It’s okay, go to sleep,” Virgil whispered.

Virgil watched as their eyes closed, trying to comfort them as they fell asleep. Their hand was latched on tight to his and he could feel the air grow still. Suddenly, their grip seemed to weaken more and more until they no longer held his hand. Gently, he pressed two fingers up to their neck, trying to find a pulse. There was nothing.

Virgil’s eyes widened then softened. He’d seen this countless times before, but he couldn’t stop the tears from running down his face. Quickly, he tried to wipe them away and gathered his composure. For a few minutes, he sat there, silently crying for this child. He had no clue whether they were an orphan or if their parents were waiting for them to come back home. After he finally stopped crying, he looked over to the fire in the middle of the hollow, knowing he needed to tend to it. He looked over to the child again as he picked up the firewood.

“You’ll be okay…” Virgil whispered to them as he walked over to the fire.


	6. His Fault

A week had passed since Logan first met Virgil and it got him thinking whether he should try to reach out to other angels. It was certainly risky, but with high rewards. The sun started to slowly rise from its slumber and light Angelmont with its light. Sunlight soon came through the cracks of the shutters, slowly illuminating Logan’s cabin. He stirred in his bed as light started to shine on his face and his eyes soon opened as he heard birds chirp in the distance. Yawning, he got up and opened the shutters, even more warm light flooding the room. He looked out the window to the sunrise, watching as it went higher and higher in the sky. Sometimes it was one of the few things that kept him sane while alone in the forest.

Quickly, Logan got to work on his wings, cutting away at some leather, making sure each cut was accurate. Every so often, he’d place the piece of leather over top the metal frames, just to see how they would fit. Suddenly, a knock rang from the door, and he stared at it with surprise. Then his eyes widened, and a small smile formed on his face, as he realized it must’ve been Virgil at the door. He still checked out his window, just to make sure. He breathed a sigh of relief, now opening the door for the purple angel.

“So, you’ve come back, come in…” Logan said, his voice softer than usual.

“I don’t got much to do. Might as well,” Virgil replied.

Logan huffed and smiled, now going over to the box of fish. He quickly grabbed two, one for Virgil and himself.

“Take a seat wherever you want,” Logan said as he stabbed the two fish onto a stick, “I wasn’t going to eat breakfast since I wasn’t hungry, but I guess eating now won’t make me go hungry later.”

“I guess that is true,” Virgil said, watching Logan prop the stick over the fireplace.

There was silence as Logan cooked the two fish. He didn’t mind all that much since he was still very tired and he assumed Virgil was too. Angels were nocturnal after all. He noticed how they sat on his bed again, just like last time and him in a chair cooking fish. Now that he thought about it, he wondered whether their wrist healed or not. He hoped that pain removing spell lasted long enough until their wrist healed. Either way, he could simply do the spell again if needed. They did say that they didn't know humans could perform magic. Maybe he could teach them the spell today. It was especially useful in dire situations.

There was a calmness that lingered in the cabin as Logan cooked. Just something about Virgil’s presence made him feel at ease. The warmth in the cabin only heightened the emotion. For once, he didn’t feel so numb. Perhaps it was because this was the first time in almost a full decade someone had wanted to see him, or maybe… maybe he was truly becoming friends with this angel. Whatever it was, he liked the feeling that stirred within him. He was never good with emotions, but all he knew was that this feeling felt _good_. It was a craving he’d never had before, especially since living in the forest. Never did he think he’d like the complexity of emotions, yet here he was trying to pinpoint what he was feeling.

Once the fish was cooked, Logan gently took off one of the fish and handed it to Virgil. His eyes widened as he saw them blink in surprise and hesitated to take the fish. They looked to him and the puzzled look on their face somehow made his heart beat in absolute disarray. He wasn’t actually sure why they seemed so hesitant at taking the fish at first. For a moment, he stared at them, confusion filling his face that almost matched theirs. He was never the best at picking up what others felt, though, it finally clicked as he looked back at the fish. Gently, he brought the fish closer to them as his eyebrows raised. Another moment passed when they finally took the fish from him and bit into it. He couldn’t help but glance over to the right side, the stub of muscle making him curious. Soon, he went back over to the fire and ate his fish.

There was more silence as they both ate, Logan not sure what exactly he should talk about with the angel without being intrusive. There were so many questions that filled his head, and so many answers he knew might not get to hear. Again, he looked over to the wingless side of Virgil, his curiosity getting the better of him. Suddenly, he remembered his pain removing spell he thought of earlier, and soon thought about their wrist.

“Is your wrist healed?” Logan asked as he continued to eat his fish.

“Yeah, that spell worked really well, too,” Virgil replied.

“I can teach you how to perform the spell. I wouldn’t mind,” he said as he looked over to their wrist. He saw how the bandage was gone and the wound completely healed.

“Actually—” they took one last bite of their fish— “that’s what I came here for. I was hoping you’d teach me how to do it.”

Logan blinked in surprise as he finished his fish. Him actually teach someone? Was he dreaming? When he still lived in Angelmont, he thought becoming some kind of teacher would be the profession he wanted, though he wasn’t sure what exactly to teach.

“Truly?” he asked, surprise flowing through his voice.

“Ye- Yep…” they said, “but, I mean, you don’t have to if- if you don’t want to…”

“No, no!”

Now it was time for Virgil to be surprised, his heart fluttering at the outburst. Logan surprised himself too. He was never one to be so loud.

“Pardon that, but yes… I’d… love to teach you…” Logan said, his wording choice hopefully compelling Virgil to trust him a bit more.

Silence filled the room, and Logan stared down at the ground, waiting in anticipation of their answer. There truly was something extraordinary about them. Even though this was the first angel he’d ever met, he felt there was something different about them, yet he still had that feeling of familiarity in his chest.

“Alright,” Virgil’s voice cut through the silence, “Where do I start?”

✰✰✰✰✰

It’d been at least a good hour or two practicing with Virgil. Logan first taught him the basics on how to use their energy and how to manipulate it, then went on to teaching the actual spell. Somehow, everything seemed to go rather smoothly. Of course, it took them a few tries to get used to using their energy, but eventually they could do it with ease. Every time they finally completed a step, it made him smile. He didn’t know why, but it might’ve been because he was starting to warm up to the shy angel. Plus, as much as he is an introvert, having some company was certainly welcomed. Being in the woods alone, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, took a toll on him. It seemed that he now had a friend… The alchemy between Logan and Virgil just seemed fitting.

Virgil was panting, tired from all the practice and Logan couldn’t blame them. The first time he tired it, he almost passed out. He was so determined to finally be able to use that spell, put his knowledge to good use. Now that he thought about it, he was quite tired too. There was some sweat rolling down his face that he quickly wiped away. It was invigorating just being around someone again, and someone who at least liked his company. Gently, he took a seat, looking over at them who sat on his bed. Their eyes darted from the window back down to his invention, his precious wings he’d been crafting. There was a curiosity in their eyes, ones that matched his when he first helped them.

“Those are artificial wings I’ve been making for quite some time,” Logan said, his eyes suddenly darting to their wingless side, but he tried not to look for too long.

“They look pretty cool,” Virgil started, “When do you think you’re gonna finish them?”

“I’m not sure, actually,” he said, “though I’m hoping I’ll finish by next week.”

There was a small silence until Virgil spoke.

“You’re… very kind for a human…” they said, the hesitation in their voice apparent and their wing scrunching up.

“Well, um… thank you,” he said, a light blush painting his face.

Logan looked over to Virgil’s missing wing then back to his invention. His mind couldn’t make up what to say. He had an idea, something that might help Virgil just a bit more, but he wasn’t sure how they’d react to such a thing. It could be a sore subject and he knew it could ruin his chance for getting them to trust him. Their eyes continued to stare at his invention, curiosity shining in their eyes. Maybe he did have a chance to bring it up if they were so interested in his invention.

“I understand if this is a sore subject for you…” Logan started.

Virgil now stared in curiosity at him and he could feel their eyes looking.

“…but I was wondering if I could make a replacement wing for you, so you can fly.”

There was more silence in the room as Logan simply waited for an answer. His head looked down to the floor and the only sound cutting through the silence was the crackle of the fire near where he sat.

“You’re serious? You’d really do that?” Hope strung in each word, filling the room.

Logan looked up at Virgil, his eyes wide with complete awe for this angel. His heart raced as he tried to get some words out of his mouth, but nothing could, so all he did was simply nod a yes. A small smile formed on his face as he looked at them. The shock and surprise in their face was apparent, and their eyes were wide, shining with hope. After a moment though, a big fat grin appeared, and their wing opened a bit as they looked right at him. It only made him smile more, more than he had in the last ten years he’d spent in this forest alone with his thoughts for company. He quickly pushed aside the thoughts, needing to get to the matter at hand.

“I’ll need to measure your wing then,” Logan said. He did have his sketch from earlier, but he wanted to get exact measurements for this. Virgil looked down and scrunched up, as if they were thinking to themself.

“Alright then,” Virgil said after a couple of moments, now getting off the bed, “Should I just stretch my wing out?”

“Yes, that’ll be adequate,” Logan said as he now grabbed the leather measuring tape he made.

Virgil shuffled off to his left as he opened up his right wing. It almost took up half of the cabin which Logan predicted, though it was still a bit comical to him. Slowly, he unraveled the measuring tape, starting at the base of their wing to the tip of their wing. Though, now that he had more time to look, the scar that he saw earlier was much smaller in comparison to the actual wing, though still noticable. Perhaps this scar was much older than he thought. When he first looked at it, it seemed bigger but probably because their wing was folded, so he never got a proper view until now. He looked over to the measuring tape. Their wing was about ten feet long in total and quickly jotted it down in his notebook as he went to measure the other parts of their wing. Again, the scar caught his eye as he went back over to them. He tried to stay focused, but the scar almost begged him to look at it. Though, he quickly shook the thoughts out of his head.

Once Logan was done measuring, he jotted down the measurements in his notes. Soon, he looked back at Virgil who still stood with his wing open. They simply faced the wall, waiting for instructions from him. The warmth of the cabin contrasted with the cold, sickening feeling that was building up in his chest. Something felt… off, and he wasn’t sure what exactly made him feel so out of ease. Was it the scar? Was it their presence? He looked over at the stub of muscle on the left side of their back. Finally, his eyes widened in realization. His eyes darted from their scar to his bed then back to the stub of muscle.

Logan’s whole body shook, an image of an injured purple angel replaying in his mind. He tried to keep as still as possible, hoping Virgil wouldn’t see his discomfort. His chest weighed him down as he tried to steady his breathing. He was a _murderer._

“You got everything you need?” Virgil’s voice brought Logan back to reality.

“Yes…” he said, trying to keep his composure, “I’ve gotten all the measurements I need.”

“Alright then, I gotta get going,” Virgil said as he looked out the window, “Looks like it’s almost noon and I wanna sleep. I’ll see you again tomorrow?”

Logan simply nodded as he tried to put on a small smile as Virgil looked at him.

“I’ll see you again tomorrow,” he said as he watched them finally leave the cabin.

Logan breathed a sigh of relief as he sat down near his desk, his eyes wide again as his realization sunk into his head. It was his fault. It was all his fault that Virgil was missing a wing. He looked to his bed again then quickly looked away as if he touched molten metal. His stomach twisted and turned, and his heart raced. He felt his head spin as if he were about to throw up. A shiver ran down his spine. Quickly, he hugged himself. It was _his fault._ What would Virgil think of him? What would happen if they knew? His mind spun and spun with horrible thoughts. No… he had to get a hold of himself, think through this logically. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself down enough to sort out his thoughts. If he were to tell the truth, Virgil might not trust him or even do worse, but he certainly couldn’t keep a secret like that forever! He so craved for the angel’s favor, but he knew keeping the truth would hurt him in the long run. His mind raced, trying to find a solution. Suddenly, he blinked as he looked back over to his notes.

“I’ll build the replacement wing first, then I’ll tell Virgil…” Logan thought.

This was his fault. He was the one responsible for this mess… but he was determined to fix it.


	7. A Taste for Human Flesh

The full moon shone into the giant hollow as Remus helped one of the injured angels. There thankfully weren’t as many angel hunters out this time, most likely because of the large rainstorm that came through earlier. It’s hard climbing and hiking through a hilly forest if it’s muddy and wet. He was thankful, though, as it was getting hard for the healing angels to take care of everyone that ended up in their hollow though it did mean he'd have to help them. Roman had insisted he stay in the hollow, even though he itched to fight off every human that entered these forests. He wished to see the blood drain from their face as he ripped their tiny, weak hearts out. Maybe he’d even rip out their intestines and strangle another human with them just to see the beautiful horror that’d streak across the other humans’ faces. Or maybe…

“You good, Remus?”

Remus’ ears perked up as the injured angel he took care of spoke. He blinked, realizing he got caught up in his thoughts. Sometimes it was just hard to focus.

“Yes, I’m just making the healing ointment for your leg,” he said softly.

Remus didn’t like being cooped up in the hollow at all. It was almost like a prison for him, especially when he could be ripping apart those small terrible beasts. A small wind gushed in as he looked up at the moon. His face softened as he thought about going and fighting off the angel hunters with his brother. He longed to fight everyday and be just as praised as his brother. Sometimes it felt like he was background noise, something to tune out while Roman was the main melody of a song. At least he made all their weapons and armor, the most chaotic thing he could do while cooped up in the hollow. His thoughts rambled through his head as he pounded several herbs together into a paste. Finally, he went over to the injured angel, rubbing some ointment on the wound.

“Is the spell working fine? You feel any pain?” Remus asked.

“Barely any! You know you’re really good with magic,” the angel said.

There was a silence before Remus spoke. “Thanks.”

Remus’ face sulked as he went to the pile of clothes the healing angels had taken from dead humans. He took one and ripped a decent size piece of cloth, just enough to wrap their wound. He took a quick look around the hollow, seeing there were still a lot of injured angels, even if there were fewer tonight. Another breeze came into the hollow, reminding him he’d be stuck in the hollow, most likely for the entire night. A sigh came out, thinking how he’d be much better off fighting off every single human who came into these woods. Soon, he walked back over to the angel he was tending to and wrapped the bandage. Every single motion felt automatic and disconnected with himself as his mind wandered. It was such a bore being suck inside all night.

“You doing okay, Remus?” the injured angel asked.

Remus’ green ears perked up as he heard them. “Yeah, I was just thinking about fighting the humans. I’m not the biggest fan being stuck in this hollow, you know. I’d love to rip out every bone in their pathetic bodies.”

There was a small silence between the two of them until the other angel spoke.

“I’d love to fight with you guys someday! Once I’m old enough, I’ll tear those humans to shreds!”

At that, Remus’ ears perked. “How old are you?”

“I’m sixteen. I know I only have to wait two more years to become a knight, but I can’t wait to really fight! To go to battle and tear out their hearts!” The angel was absolutely gleaming with delight.

Remus chuckled as he made sure the bandage was tight enough. The warmth from the fire made him a bit giddier. He looked at it for a second, another thought coming to him.

“I heard today that you tried fighting off a human from some of the other knights. That’s how you got hurt, wasn’t it?”

The other angel blinked and jumped a bit. Their wings scrunched up as they spoke. “Well… yeah, that’s how I got hurt, but I can manage! It doesn’t even hurt that much, and it isn’t like I broke a bone!”

Remus smiled and chuckled again as he looked out the hollow to the full moon. He could smell the blood brewing down below. “I think you’ll make an excellent knight.”

“Really? You think so?”

“I _know_ so. We need a lot of spirited knights like you around,” Remus said without hesitation. He watched as the bandaged angel stood up, a big smile on their face as they walked over to the lip of the hollow next to him. They walked with a slight limp though overall seemed fine.

“Thank you. I’m gonna go now though. My parents are probably waiting for me.”

“You sure you’re good now?”

“I’ll be fine,” they said as they flew out of the hollow.

Remus looked out to them. “You stay alive out there! So I can train you one day!”

“I will!” they hollered back as they disappeared into the mountains.

Remus smiled, his spirits now up as he looked out to the forest down below. He watched as a few fights went on, blood splattering everywhere on the forest floor. Now that he thought about it, he always had a taste for human flesh, even though Roman always berated him, telling it was “unhealthy” to eat human meat. But he never cared, a free meal was a free meal, right? Most of the other knights disagreed, but if they just tried it once, maybe they’ll see what he was on about.

Suddenly, a scream rang through the forest into the hollow. His eyes widened as he recognized the voice.

“Virgil—” he thought as he jumped down and flew through the forest— “I have to save him!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: aaahhh, I'm so glad all of you like the story so far! I read every single comment and appreciate every single word you guys say!!! I'm also so thankful for all the kudos! You guys are the best!!!!!!


	8. Old Scars Torn Open

The moonlight shone down on Janus as he traversed the muddy forest of Angelmont. A cool breeze blew past him, contrasting his frazzled and burning mood. Tonight, his heart weighed him down, and past bruises were showing again. He swore if he ever saw their portrait again, he might rip his eyes out and bawl like a pathetic child. He barely finished any work that day. Even the thought of them hurt his soul and reopened his wounds he thought would finally heal. Another breeze passed him, making him breathe in a deep breath. Now wasn’t the time to be unfocused. As skilled as he was with angel hunting, one could attack at any time and rip him to shreds. Plus, he needed to get some work done for his angel hunting business and he intended to continue it being the best in Angelmont. 

Janus took another breath, feeling the cool air enter his lungs. At least some of his muddled thoughts about them would go away. He looked out into the forest ahead as he hid behind a tree, making sure there weren’t any other angels around. Once the path was clear, he took off, going deeper into the forest. Thank goodness there weren’t many other angel hunters out. A breath of fresh air and some alone time was what he needed the most. It was something he hadn’t had in quite a while. He hadn’t gone angel hunting by himself in almost forever now that he thought about it. It was refreshing not being in the market selling angel wings all day. Of course, it was a joy, but he missed the adventure and action that came with it.

A scream echoed through the untamed forest, followed by the ripping of flesh. He dashed as fast and as carefully as he could through the muddy forest towards the noise. Noise meant angels were close by and that meant business. He’d be able to strike one if he were quick enough. Action was just around the corner and he couldn’t wait to see it. That was, until the dead bodies of the angel hunters appeared in his view. He hid behind a bush, the blood spilling everywhere around the dead as their bodies were ripped apart in front of him by an angel. Their corpses had blood pooling everywhere all over them and a few looked like they had their hearts ripped out. One even had their guts hanging out of the gapping slash on their stomach. It wasn’t exactly the newest thing he’s seen, but his heart always sunk seeing it. The world needed more angel hunters to slay those beasts. They did nothing good.

Janus scanned the area, peeking out from the bush he hid behind. It only took him a second to spot three angels, two bigger ones, and a small one. Even with the distance between them, he could tell the two angels towered over the smaller one. Both of their wings were magnificent and very well kept and the color on their wings were bright as well. The one with red wings might be a hair too big for anyone so he looked over to the one with green wings. Its wings seemed much better sized, even if they were still on the bigger end of the scale. He glanced over to the smaller angel who was already a bit injured. It’d be an easy kill, but it was a shame that it only had one scrappy wing. He would’ve been able to make some good money off of it if it weren’t for the missing wing.

After taking another deep breath of air, Janus took his crossbow out. He looked over to the angel with green wings, and with a careful hand, he took aim. His eyes locked on to it as another cool breeze passed by. His heart raced with anticipation, ready to strike until…

“Are you okay, Virgil?” one angel started, cutting the silence, “I can fly you back up to the hollow.”

“Or you could help me eat all these dead humans!”

“Remus! That’s disgusting! You shou-”

“I’ll be fine guys…” the injured angel said, the two others now turning to it. It held its side as it stood with a wobble. “The arrow only scratched me…”

There was a small silence between the three of them until one spoke.

“Fine, if you insist. Remus and I will keep scouting the area.”

The injured angel nodded, a tired look forming on its face as they disappeared into the mountains. Janus crouched behind the bush, his heart thumping, and his face hot as he tried to process everything he just witnessed. The angels could _talk._ They spoke to each other in an actual civilized manner he’d never seen before. He held his head in his hands, feeling the grooves of his old scars on the left side of his face. A jumbled mess of thoughts and memories flooded back to him. Those angels seemed all too familiar to him, and the fact they acted like people baffled his mind. They were monsters to be killed! Yet, here they were talking, and caring for their injured, a trait he knew only humans possessed.

“You know, Roman…” the green winged angel started, “We could try and invade the humans-”

“No, my army isn’t big enough, and even if I wanted to, I’d be risking too many lives.”

“Then we should try to-”

“No! If you want to go to war with those monsters, do it yourself!”

There was a tense silence between the two of them, Janus listening with an eager ear.

“You can’t keep us all cooped up in our hollows forever, Roman…” it sneered, “You can’t coddle me anymore…”

Soon the green winged angel flew off into the mountains. The red winged angel sighed as it flew into another direction through the forest.

Janus’ eyes filled with awe and curiosity, but a shiver still ran down his spine at their words. The fact that they were intelligent enough to create an entire army of angels waiting to fight off humans boggled his mind. Such a notion would be laughed at, but with what he’d witnessed? It was a pure believable fact that these were people. These were people he’d been _slaughtering._ His mind tried to push the thought away, but he knew truth was the most powerful thing one could know. He couldn’t just get rid of it.

Janus touched his scars again, his fingers falling into the grooves. Those two angels had somewhat familiar faces and voices. His heart banged at his chest as an old faded memory came back to him. A shiver ran through his whole body. As he kept a hand at his scars. The memory was a blur yet still so clear in his mind. He looked back to where the two angels had stood, imagining them. Then he looked over to the dead angel hunters laying in their own blood. Various organs and guts spilled out of their shredded bodies. To a non-angel hunter, this looked like a massacre, but he’d gotten used to the sight long ago. His mind soon wandered back to those two angels. Monsters they were but something in his heart itched at him that told him otherwise.

As Janus was about to find another angel, thunder rang in his ear and the wind started to pick up. He turned around, gazing at Angelmont and the dark gray storm clouds rolling over the beautiful kingdom. He shivered as a cool wind threatened to drag him deeper into the forest. As much as he wanted to continue hunting, it was unlikely to be able to catch one in a raging thunderstorm, let alone find one. He sighed as he put his crossbow away. With a gentle hand, he grazed over his scars, knowing he needed time to process what he just witnessed. He knew he needed to come back and search for his answer. The mud squished under his feet as he walked back to Angelmont, sure he found a familiar face.


	9. The First Attempt

The sun started to rise from its slumber, illuminating Angelmont as Logan paced around in his cabin. He’d been up since five in the morning, making sure every single detail of Virgil’s new prosthetic wing was perfect. It took a week of nonstop labor to make it and he used up almost all of his leather. He wasn’t sure where he’d get more leather for his own artificial wings, but at this point, all he cared about was fixing the wrongs he’d done to Virgil. To be honest, making their wing was much more tiring than making ones for himself. Not a clue nor hint told him why his heart ached, but it at least made him less sensitive to the weight it bore on his chest while completing the wing.

A knock rang through the cabin, making Logan stop his pacing. He took a deep breath in as he walked over to the door, and, with a bit of hesitance, he opened it. There he was greeted with Virgil, their presence heightening the jitteriness he felt at his core. Though, he made sure to keep his composure. He promised he’d finish the prosthetic wing today, and he didn’t want his mood to give off the impression that it wasn’t done. Soon, a smile forced on his face as he looked at Virgil.

“Good morning, Virgil,” Logan said.

“Good morning,” Virgil started, his wing scrunching up, “So, is my wing ready?” There was an excitement in their eyes that contrasted their nervous movements.

“Of course, stay outside and I’ll bring it out.”

Logan walked over to his big desk which had Virgil’s new wing next to his soon-to-be-complete wings. For a second, he froze in place as his core shook. A flood of guilt weighed down his heart as that familiar horrific scene of that child bleeding to death flashed in his mind. He thanked the heavens that they were now away from the door, outside waiting for him. He didn’t want them to see him so frazzled and unfocused. Though soon, the crackle from the fire brought him back to reality and he took in a deep breath just how Virgil taught him. The fresh air coming through the doorway filled every nook and cranny of his tired lungs, bringing him some peace. Soon, he looked over to the new wing and grabbed it, walking outside to Virgil.

Logan saw Virgil inspecting and rubbing the inside of their wing, though it shut close as he approached them, figuring they must’ve heard him come outside. He stepped down the stairs and on to the forest floor where they were.

“Are you ready? We can go over the spell again if you want.”

Virgil turned around to face Logan, holding on to their wing but soon closing it up again. A weariness shone in their eyes though he assumed they were just nervous like usual.

“No, I’m uh good…”

“Alright then, I’ll show you how to put the wing on and you can start flying.”

Virgil just gave Logan a nod and he took that as his cue to start. He went over to their back, explaining how it worked and how to properly fit it. With a gentle hand, he opened up the leather, and fit the stub of muscle inside. A wave of guilt panged at him as he touched the muscle, knowing he did this to them. All he hoped now was that this new wing would make up for his actions. Maybe he didn’t even need to tell Virgil the truth. If this worked, they’d be able to fly again as if nothing ever happened. Once their muscle was attached to the leather wing, he took the rest of the leather that resembled a vest and started to maneuver the hole in the vest over their other wing.

“Virgil, could you move your wing a bit?”

There was a silence between them until Virgil spoke.

“Sure…” they said, hesitance in their voice.

Soon, they opened their wing just enough to get it through the small hole in the vest. Logan looked at it, something catching his eye on Virgil’s wing, but once the wing was through the hole, it scrunched up again. His eyes darted up and down it, trying to find whatever it was that he saw, but, except for the large scar, their wing looked just fine. Perhaps they were just tired, plus, it was quite late for them. He couldn’t blame them for wanting more time to sleep as he was tired himself, but he wanted to make sure both of them would be safe, and he didn’t want them to worry about any angel hunters seeing them. The leather wing laid limp on the grassy floor as the sky turned a bright red and orange behind the both of them. A warmth spread across his body, putting him at some ease helping them put it on. Soon, he walked over to the front, now facing Virgil. Their head turned away, a light red dotting their face as he looked up at them. Somehow, their reaction made him warm up even more, though, he soon shook his head and looked back down at the vest, trying to concentrate. With a bit of hesitance, he started to button the vest up. It made his face somewhat hot and tingly, though he pushed those emotions away. Once he was done, he looked up at them once more.

“Does it fit well?” Logan asked.

“Yep, this works,” Virgil said, walking around a bit, “Seems light enough to fly in.”

“Good, now, all you need to do is perform the spell I thought you to use the other wing.”

“Right…”

A wind blew past both of them, making the trees rustle in the distance. The light from the sun started to light the beautiful mountains as Virgil closed their eyes and concentrated on the spell. Time froze for Logan as he gazed in awe at them, ripples of energy flowing from the earth into their body. The energy turned a dark purple that matched their fur and feathers and it climbed up their body like vines on a tree. It reached up to their legs and soon into the rest of their body, a purple field of light swirling around them. His mouth dropped open at the beauty before him, some of the energy gracing his body as he stood at a distance. It’d been a while since watching anyone perform this marvelous but simple spell, and it brought him a touch of nostalgia. Soon, Virgil’s leather wing started to glow purple, the energy tracing through their body and into the metal of the wing. Slowly, it started to raise up from the grass, and folded to match the other wing. Soon, the purple faded, the new wing now in place.

Virgil’s eyes went wide with awe as they walked around with the leather wing. Soon, they tried moving it, the wing now opening up. Logan watched as they fiddled with it, opening, and closing it. A fat smile spread across his face, enjoying their reactions of amazement. His body shook at how happy they looked, just glad everything was working out so far. Another breeze blew by, the sky starting to shift from a bright orange to a light blue. A shadow casted in front of Virgil as they looked and touched their new wing.

“Can- Can I…”

“Go ahead…” Logan said as he stepped out of the way, making room for Virgil to fly.

An audible gulp came from Virgil as they looked up to the mountains. They took in a deep breath, a nervous look spreading across their face. All of a sudden, they turned back around to face Logan as they coward a bit.

“You'll be fine, and I'm here if you need me,” Logan said, confidence in his voice.

Virgil sighed and nodded as he looked back up to the mountains beyond. Their hair flowed in the wind along with their feathers and fur. It was a perfect day to go flying. The mountains in the background with the trees in front painted the terrain with them standing in the middle, looking up at it all. Logan’s heart raced in anticipation, waiting for them to start flying. His whole body shook from the wind and his excitement pulsing through him. Time slowed down as they soon opened up their wings and dashed through the clearing. The echoes of their flapping wings rang through his ears as they tried to take off. His eyes widened and his heart banged at his chest as Virgil lifted off the ground. Higher and higher they went, catching the wind in their wings. Their purple form cut through the sky as they flew around the clearing. A smile formed on his face, forgetting about his guilt for just a moment.

All of a sudden, a scream erupted from the distance as Virgil started to tip on their right side. They plummeted down to the ground, their body swinging in all directions. Their wings opened up, trying to gain some control but to no avail. Logan’s whole body shook, and his face went hot as he ran as fast as he could over to them. A loud thud and another scream echoed through the clearing once they hit the ground. They’re wings twitched as they rose just a bit before falling back down on their chest. His eyes became watery and his throat started to close up, but he put his focus back on them, wanting to make sure they weren’t injured.

“Virgil!” Logan cried.

Virgil’s wings twitched again, but they soon withered in pain. They sat on their knees, facing the mountains, and taking in deep breaths. Logan soon came up to them, about to choke, until something unusual caught his eye again as he looked at their purple wing. As their wings twitched again and opened up, his heart sank. Their wing was _clipped._

“Virgil?” Logan said, his voice wavering as he tried to keep his tears in. With a slow step, he walked up to their front to face them, and as he kept looking at their clipped wing, another horror came in view. On the inside of the wing, the base and the top had exposed skin where feather were supposed to be. Some of the smaller feathers were even starting to fall off due to how damaged they were. Virgil looked up at him beady eyed, some tears dripping down their chin, though they soon hid their face in their hands, weeping like a child.

“I… I’m sorry…” Virgil said, their voice stuffy as they kept crying.

“There’s no need to apologize…” Logan started, crouching down, “Does anything hurt?”

There was a silence between them, only the rustle of the trees cutting through it. After a few minutes, their hands dropped to their side, their weeping now turning into quiet sobs.

“Can you hug- hug me?”

Logan’s eyes widened and as quick as a fox, he hugged Virgil, letting their tears wet his clothes. Soon, their weeping picked up again, and their tears were starting to run down his back. He shook a bit when one of his hands grazed the feathers on their wing, almost making him pull away. His heart raced and the tears he’d been holding back rolled down his cheeks, not making a sound. A sudden heat rushed to his face and his throat started to close up as he listened to them weep out their pain. His gut twisted in all directions, disgusted that this is what he did to Virgil. This was where he pushed them to and seeing them in pain because of him made him shake and head spin. His gut twisted even more, making him want to vomit or just disappear.

“Hey, Lo- Logan?”

“Yes?” Logan asked, his voice almost wavering.

“Could we go back to your- your place?”

“Of course…”

With a slow step, both of them separated. Virgil tried to stand up but soon fell with Logan catching them, falling into his arms. He moved over to the side, still holding them up, and soon their feathered wing wrapped around his back. He shivered at the feeling, more warmth flowing to his face, but also his stomach continuing to twist all around. Soon, he took in a deep breath as they both started to walk to his cabin. It wasn’t too far from where they both were now, but time dragged in his mind as he helped Virgil walk over to the cabin. It wasn’t helping that he could feel their bald patches of skin on their wing, but he just pushed those thoughts out of his mind. He needed to help them however he could.

Once they both reached the cabin, Logan opened the door for Virgil and let them go in. Soon, with careful hand, he unbuttoned the vest and took off their leather wing, placing it on the floor. When he caught a glimpse of their muscle, a small frown formed on his face and his eyes had a tired look to them. He guided them over to his bed and made them lay down, sitting next to them on the bed. Their warmth flowed over to his body though his heart sunk seeing them so tired and weak. There they both stayed silent, Logan not sure what he should do. He wanted Virgil to take the lead and he’d give whatever they needed. The crackle of the fire and the creek of his old bed when either of them moved at least helped him stay focused. He couldn’t spiral into madness again, at least not for them.

“Does your wing hurt at all?”

“Only a bit, mostly just tired…”

“Let me see if I can help…”

With a slow step, Logan got up from the bed, the floorboards creaking under his feet. He turned around, Virgil now in his view. Their arm sprawled to the floor while their wing was stretched out on top of their body, their clipped feathers in view.

“Do these feathers hurt?” He asked as he looked at the clipped feathers.

“No… Just the inside of my wing hurts…”

“Can I see?” His hand started to glow a dark blue, ready to heal Virgil.

Virgil just nodded, letting Logan hold their wing and lift it up. He tried to hide the frown and push away the twisting sensation in his gut as he touched their wing. Looking over to the bald patches on their wing, he shivered a bit, scared to hurt them even the tiniest bit. He took in a deep breath as he moved his glowing free hand closer to their wing. Soon, the dark blue energy on his hand encased the bald patch and the energy trickled down his body. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on taking their pain away. All of a sudden, a sharp burning pain spread through his body and his heart raced. His gut wanted to explode, and his head soon spun. He darted back, grunting, and holding his hand. The burning sensation lingered on it even after he pulled away from Virgil.

“Oh fuck, are you okay?” Virgil asked, their furry ears twitching and their eyes wide.

“I’m… I’m alright. Don’t worry about it.” Logan said, still looking at his hand.

They looked away from him and their wing scrunched back up.

“I’m sorry I hurt you…”

Logan finally looked back up at Virgil. Their eyes were filled with tears as they now sat on his bed, curled up with tears rolling down their face. His heart raced as he shook again, the image of a broken bleeding angel flashing in his mind. He breathed in, trying to concentrate on Virgil and their needs. Soon, he walked back up to them, the wooden boards creaking and the fire crackling nearby. He forced his body to stop shaking as he sat down next to them on his bed.

“You don’t have to apologize. It wasn’t your fault…”

“But I… I…”

All of a sudden, Virgil burst into tears, curling back up. Logan soon scooted a bit closer, about to hug them until a thought popped in his head. He didn’t want them to panic at his touch, so he instead stayed close to them, pushing his own guilt down. He hoped at least his company was helping them. His heart jumped as furry arms wrapped around him and pulled him into a hug. Soon, his arms wrapped around them to hug them back, and their face soon buried into his shoulder, tears once again staining his clothes. Their claws dug into his back as if they were clinging on to life, and, in a way, they were. He couldn’t blame them, though. He wished he had someone during the ten years he’s lived in this forest. Maybe if he didn’t feel so worthless, he’d have finished his wings sooner, but then that would mean never having met the wonderful angel in front of him. The wonderful, broken angel he would’ve never been able to help if he finished his wings.

“You’re a good friend, you- you know…” Virgil said after a few minutes.

Logan’s eyes widened, in shock at what they said. “Thank you…”

There was another silence again, until Virgil finally pulled away.

“I’ve been thinking,” they started, “There’s these two angels that might like you. They pretty much help all the other angels around here. They… really don’t like humans, but I think you’d change that…”

Logan blinked, now intrigued though some guilt stirred in his gut. “That sounds good, when do you think I could meet them?”

“I’ll have to ask them first, but I think the wing you made me will convince them to come.”

They both looked over to the wing on the floor, the fire illuminating half of it. It was truly the finest invention Logan ever made. All of a sudden, a yawn cut through the silence and he looked back up at Virgil, now sleepy eyed.

“Why don’t you stay here? It must be late for you…”

“You sure?”

“Yes, and I can cook you dinner once night comes.”

Logan rummaged under his bed, trying to find a blanket for Virgil. His hand felt around the mess under his bed. A lot was kept under there since he never bothered making a closet. He didn’t have many possessions anyway. Once he found a blanket, he pulled it out, catching a glimpse of his precious box. A small frowned formed on his face, but he soon shook it off and got up from the ground. With a gentle hand, he laid the blanket over Virgil who now laid in bed with their eyes closed.

“Rest now, alright?”

All Logan got was a simple grunt and he sighed. He sat down near the fire, staring into it. His gut couldn’t help but twist and turn as he thought of their plucked and clipped wing. What a monster he was…


	10. One Strange Angel & a Good Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: hey guys! thank you so much for reading but i might not be able to post a chapter for next week since I'm on vacation, so i decided to post the next chapter early for y'all. enjoy!

Janus’ heart raced as he rushed back into the forest once again, though, all he brought this time was a sword. He didn’t feel like going angel hunting, not anymore. And as he did want to keep his business afloat, he left it off to his apprentices to hunt for him. Thank goodness they all were trained enough to go hunting by themselves now, otherwise he might’ve thrown up seeing another dead angel. Though, it wasn’t exactly the reason why he was running through the forest this late. He dared look at their portrait again, and if he didn’t run to the woods, he might’ve ripped his heart out then and there. Thoughts of them were plaguing his mind, especially after his discovery. Every time he’d even see angel wings, he was punched in the gut with them in his mind. He wished he could have them back, he wished he could say sorry. Yet here he was alone in the woods, running away from his problems like a child. _Pathetic._

A cool breeze passed by Janus as the full moon illuminated the night sky. He walked around, talking to himself in his head as he went deeper and deeper into the forest. There wasn’t much to see, as he’d been in this forest since he was young. He knew this place by the back of his hand and if he did ever get lost, all he needed to do was find the mountains, and walk away from them. Though, tonight, something about the mountains was calling to him. He looked up, seeing all the little caves lit up by bond fires. A tree rustled in the wind, taking him back when he was young and first starting to hunt angels. He was quite a spirited child his father would say to him. The first time he’d finally shot one down was in one go, while all the other children were still learning how to use a crossbow. Thinking about it now was just bittersweet. He was so proud in those moments but now he was uneasy, knowing he murdered people. Though there was still one nagging thought. Maybe they weren’t people, maybe he just hallucinated and was finally going crazy, isolating himself from so many people.

Janus’ sword jostled around his belt as he continued to roam around the forest, ending up in the spot where he saw those two angels. An image of them popped into his head, trying to decipher out their features. Something about those two angels were familiar, but he wasn’t sure why. He sighed, walking more as he thought about it. The forest was silent except for the occasional breeze that shook the leaves on the trees above him. He took in a deep breath, feeling the cool air enter his lungs. It made him shiver, not from the cold, but from the calming feeling it gave him. Soon, he walked around more, getting lost in his thoughts, until he stumbled upon a small clearing in the middle of the forest with a trail that was supposed to lead outside back to Angelmont. It must’ve been one of the old roads that people stopped using. There were a lot of shrubbery and wildlife now growing on the path, blocking out the small clearing from the kingdom.

“What a lovely place…” Janus thought as he walked around the edge of the clearing, hiding in the trees.

The moon shone perfectly into the clearing, almost illuminating the entire place. Janus’ heart raced, a child-like wonder filling him all of a sudden. He could feel the energy from the moonlight trickle down on his body as it shone on to him. With a careful step, he walked out from his hiding spot and went into the clearing, sitting down and feeling the energy. Though he hasn’t worked with magic much outside of using angel wings, the energy that lingered in this place filled his body. The clearing wanted to wrap him in this warm, comforting, and sad energy that was left over. Perhaps someone else was here not too long ago, though he shook his head at the thought. There were no signs of foot traffic anywhere in sight. He laid down looking up at the night sky and took in a deep breath. All of a sudden, an image of them popped into his mind, almost feeling their energy again, but he pushed it away. He wanted this time to himself and no one else.

Something about this clearing, it had history and Janus could sense it. If truly no one’s been around here in such a long time, then why was there this energy nagging at him? It warmed his body from head to toe though it panged at his chest. Another cool breeze passed by, making him smile as he looked up at the stars above. He always loved looking for the constellations in the sky. Soon, that little purple angel he saw on his hunt popped into his head. What a sad thing it-… they were. They lost one of their majestic wings and now had to live with such a burden. Though what was most interesting about them was that they didn’t seem to mind all that much. At first, he thought they lost it when they were injured, but it would’ve been bleeding out if it was. Perhaps it was an old injury made long ago. The tall grass swayed in the wind and it almost tickled at him as he continued to look at the stars that dotted the sky.

All of a sudden, a fast wind hit Janus, making a whooshing noise in the grass. He peeked out of the grass just a bit to see an angel running as fast as they could near the edge of the clearing towards the mountains. It was hard to see in the dim light but something about one of their wings were weird, almost uncanny. He kept their eyes on them as they ran, trying to see what in the world was wrong with that other wing. They came to a stop, thankfully, as they reached the edge of the mountains and he got a good look as the moonlight shone on them. The other wing was brown, compared to the purple one on the right, and it was more bat-like. He blinked and rubbed his eyes as one feature of this wing stood out. It had no feathers. He’d never seen an angel with featherless wings but what was even more strange was that the other wing had beautiful purple feathers, even though they were quite scrappy looking. The angel soon started to climb up the mountain, which he didn’t expect. They had two good wings, so why would they climb instead of fly? A wind blew by him, humming in his ears as the angel continued to climb up. Then it hit him. An image of that injured purple angel he saw with the two other angels appeared in his mind. Then he looked over to the brown wing. It looked… manmade, and someone in particular popped in his mind.

“Did that lunatic actually do it?” Janus thought as he kept looking at the brown wing, “Is he alive?”

Now that Janus recalled, there was news about a certain crazy person yapping about how they could make wings without hunting angels down years ago. He scoffed at the idea before since they were nearly impossible to make. Last time he heard about them was that they ran to the forest, never to be seen again. He thought they’d be dead by now, their body scattered somewhere in the forest, but with the evidence in front of him, perhaps there was a chance they might just be alive. He laid down again, looking up at the twinkling stars. His lungs filled with cold air, calming him. Soon, another person came to mind.

“Should I tell Thomas?” Janus thought.

He knew Thomas was interested in the idea of artificial wings, but never has said more than that. Why though? Just why did he seem to care so much? He sat back up as a breeze passed by him. With a slow step, he stood up, looking over to Thomas’ castle in the distance. It was late, but if they were awake, perhaps he should tell them. He looked up at the moon, then back down to the castle as he took in one more deep breath, making a decision. It would be a long walk, but at least he’d get the chance to visit his dear friend. 

✰✰✰✰✰

Janus walked down the old streets of Angelmont, feeling the history all around him, until he finally reached the gate of Thomas’ castle. Three guards stood by as he approached.

“Well, hello Mr. Chapman! It’s always good to see you!” one of the guards greeted Janus, smiling.

“It’s good to see you, too. Now, I know it’s quite late, but do you know if Thomas is still up? I have something urgent to tell him.”

“Oh, yes! The king should still be up. I believe he’s in his library right now,” they said, the gates now opening.

Beyond the gate was a gigantic garden filled with all types of flowers and plants around the castle. Lampposts lit the cobblestone walkway to the entrance of the castle, the giant doors adorned with intricate carvings. The windows all had a small warm glow to them that contrasted the cool colors of the moonlight shining down. Soon, one of the guards walked on to the path and motioned Janus to follow them. He soon followed, walking down the beautiful pathway. The smell of rose bushes and the fresh night air filled his lungs, making him smile. The wooden doors of the castle creaked as they opened, more light illuminating the path. They both walked up the small flight of stairs and soon entered the warm castle.

Torches lined the wall and a large red rug with golden details contrasted the gray stone walls. Pictures of Thomas’ family and former monarchs hung on the walls each with placards with their name at the bottom. There were various other wooden doors leading into other rooms like the kitchen or meeting room, but none were as spectacular or more marvelous than the library. He could get lost in there for days if he wanted to. His heart raced as he scrambled to find the right words he’d say to Thomas. Even though they were a trusted friend of his, something about this was at least slightly nerve wracking. How would they react to this news? Would they think he was crazy? Soon, they both approached the tall red door at the end of the hallway, and just on top hung a portrait of the current king themself, Thomas.

The guard opened the door, revealing the bookshelves that reached high up to the ceiling. In the middle of the library was a few tables and chairs for when guest wanted to read. Both of them took a left, passing bookshelves packed with every single book imaginable, and into another area of the library. In the wall there was a roaring fireplace, warming the entire area. A large rug and some soft chairs and couches circled around it along with small coffee tables. And there sat Thomas on the right, in their favorite red chair, writing in a book.

“Your majesty, Mr. Chapman is here and would like to speak with you.”

“Oh! Janus is here? Let him in! It’s nice seeing an old friend.”

“As you wish,” they said as Janus walked closer to Thomas.

A thud rang in Janus’ ears as the door closed though soon, he heard the crackle of the enormous fireplace that illuminated the little section of the library with a warm glow. It was always cozy here with the heavy smell of books and the taste of imagination that lingered in this place. As he walked, Thomas turned around and a fat grin formed on their face. That soft smile always made him smile back, their joy terribly contagious.

“It’s good to see you, Janus. Haven’t seen you in a while,” Thomas said, sweetness in their voice.

“It’s good to see you, too…” Janus said, a bit too quiet than what he expected. Their face turned from joy into concern.

“What’s wrong? Is there something on your mind?”

Janus took a seat near Thomas, now feeling his body shake somewhat as he looked at the fireplace. The image of a certain person came to mind, but he shook it away as quick as a fox. There was a silence for a moment until Thomas spoke.

“Were you thinking about them again?”

He scrunched up a bit, knowing exactly who they were talking about.

“You know, you’re always welcome to stay at my castle if you need to or just roam around for a while.”

“I know and yes… I was thinking about them, but that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.” He paused, trying to find his words. “It’s just… I was walking around in the forest and I saw something fascinating… Something I thought was impossible but might not be.”

At this, Thomas placed down the book he was writing in and the quill on the coffee table, their eyes now wide.

“What do you mean by impossible?”

“Well… do you remember that lunatic that said they could make artificial wings and how they fled to the forest? It was back when we first met. When you became king…”

“Logan Clark? That guy? That was years ago now…” Thomas said, the fire crackling in the background, “I’ll be honest, I really wonder how he’s been doing all alone in the forest…”

“Well, I don’t think you need to wonder any longer,” he paused, “There was an angel I saw that had different looking wings when I was in the forest.”

“Really?” they said, excitement in their voice.

“Yes! One of the wings was a solid brown while the other was purple. They couldn’t fly for some reason, but it’s not every day you see an angel with different colored wings. I think that brown wing was made by that guy, Logan...”

There was silence between the two of them, Thomas with a hand on his chin and the crackle of the fire was the only thing that’d occasionally cut through the silence. Janus sat back in the soft chair, his hands on his knees and his fingers tapping as he waited for a response. His body shook a bit but tried to focus on the warmth coming from the fireplace. He watched as his friend sat in deep thought. Sometimes he wondered what went on in their mind that exploded with ideas left and right. Sometimes he wished for that creativity, that type of imagination. They’d write story after story every day and somehow their hands never got tired of the same old routine. It was marvelous how they haven’t broken their fingers yet from writing so much, both for work and art.

“Where did you find this angel at?”

Janus’ eyes fluttered as Thomas’ voice cut through the silence.

“It was in an abandoned clearing, around the center of the forest. I thought you just might be interested since I remember you were so caught up with that guy when the news first came out.”

There was another silence. Janus could tell there was something stirring in Thomas’ mind.

“I think I’ll investigate this another night,” they said, “It’s rather late and I think I’ve written enough for tonight. Would you like to stay? I wouldn’t mind.”

Janus scrunched up, thinking. They were right, it was getting late, and to be honest, he didn’t feel like walking back to his house. His legs were sore after his trek back to Angelmont, and he would like to get some shut eye soon. The fireplace was starting to die, and he shivered a bit.

“I’ll stay for the night. I haven’t hung out with you in a while anyways.”

“Alright then, my room? And I’ll get you a blanket…” Thomas said as a smile formed on their face and he stood up. Janus stood up as well, smiling back.

“Sure, and thanks…”

“It’s no problem…”

The pair both walked out of the library and back into the long hallways of the castle. An arm was soon thrown on to Janus’ shoulders, making him giggle at Thomas’ goofy face. He wrapped an arm around their middle back as they both walked upstairs. It was nice to have such a good friend.


	11. "Take care of yourself?"

The moonlight shone down on Virgil as he raced back to the mountains. He’d eaten dinner with Logan and was now rested enough to go to Roman and Remus’ place. He was grateful that he slept at their cabin. It helped him shake off his feelings after he fell. If he went back in broad daylight, he might’ve tripped or fell in the river and feel even more terrible. Though as he thought back, something about Logan did seem off. The faces they made were familiar, but he couldn’t quite pin down what it was. Then again, they weren’t the most emotional type of person. Maybe they were just tired like he was. He shivered as a wind blew past him, making the leaves in the trees rustle. Soon, he sped up, wanting to get to the mountains as fast as possible.

Virgil dashed just at the edge of the clearing, the tall grass swaying as he ran past them. He tried not to look at the clearing, the damn clearing where Logan saw him fall from the sky. Why couldn’t he stop himself? Why’d he have to clip his wings the night earlier? His claws almost pulled at the dirt beneath him and his wings folded tightly as a storm of thoughts attacked him. No. This wasn’t the time to be so caught up in thought. Another breeze passed by him, making him take in a deep breath. He had to focus on telling Roman and Remus about his new wing, about Logan… Just, how would they react to him having a human friend? He shivered both from the cold and the anxiety building up in him. The new wing ought to change their minds on humans, right? A human wanted to help him fly again and there was the concrete proof.

Virgil took in another deep breath as he reached the base of the mountain. Too bad he couldn’t fly just yet. He hated climbing up and down the mountains. It was tiring but he gotten used to it. His hands were now worn climbing up the mountains over and over again, but at least it got him around. He looked up, trying to find Roman and Remus’ hollow. It wasn’t very hard to spot it with the burning bond fire that was always up at night. Though, a hesitance started to stir in him. His gut twisted as he looked up to the hollow. Goodness, what would those two say? Would Roman think he was silly? Would Remus try to eat Logan? There was a million ways this could go wrong! He sucked in another deep breath, trying to focus. If he didn’t leave soon, an angel hunter might find him. He looked up once more, his wings opening to gain some balance, and finally he jumped up, grabbing on to one of the trees. As quick as a fox, he hid himself among the trees, and started climbing up.

A strong wind blew past him, making the trees hum their sweet melody. Thankfully, there was some moonlight illuminating the path and shining through the cracks of the old trees. He jumped from one tree to another with some grace, climbing higher and higher. His heart raced, not just from climbing but from the other injured angels he’d have to see. Of course he had to forget there were other angels there! He was also there a lot too, so they’d most likely recognize him. His heart skipped a beat when his hand almost slipped off the tree, though he was quick to regain his balance. If he fell again, he might pluck out even more feathers. He was always quick to berate himself, but if he was off his guard, an angel hunter might just sneak up on him! It was rare to see one hunting up in the mountains. It was difficult for humans to climb up here, but it’s happened before and can certainly happen again. Another breeze passed by, dragging him out of his thoughts. He soon started climbing again up towards their hollow. A small hope latched on to him that there wouldn’t be any other angels, and if there were, he’d try and sneak past them. Roman and Remus weren’t expecting him to come tonight either since he did want some time off for himself. Now all he need was for them to actually be there.

Virgil took in a deep breath, almost at the lip of the entrance. One angel dashed out the entrance, flying into the night. The crackle of the fire now echoed all around as he climbed closer and closer. Once he got up to the tops of the trees, all he needed to do was jump inside the hollow. There was exposed rock near the lip of the entrance and the moonlight shone on to it, reflecting from the stone just a bit. It made sure if even a human climbed up these mountains, it’d still be difficult to reach the hollow. Even with the cold wind threatening to blow him down, the warmth from the fire inside graced his skin. He took in a deep breath as he looked at the hollow. His heart raced as he jumped up to the hollow, grabbing on to the stone floor. He was never able to land in the hollow, but just outside it. A deep breath entered his lungs as he tried to get a footing on the stone wall. With a grunt, he pulled himself up, his wings flapping to help him a bit. He stood up, dizzy from climbing. Something, though, caught his attention. The hollow was _empty._

Where’d everyone go? What happened? Virgil walked around as his guts knotted themselves, checking if there was truly no one in the cave. His heart raced as he opened his hands, trembling as he walked around the ever-burning fire. The clacks his claws made as he walked around echoed through the hollow. A deep breath entered his lungs as he continued walking around, trying to concentrate, and not let his mind wander. There was the occasional whiff of smoke from the fire, almost soothing him in a way. His eyes darted back and forth at his shadow and the walls of the cave, looking for other angels. All of a sudden, he heard the flapping of two angels and hid behind the fire, startled. He tried to sort out who it could be from the wing flaps, but with fear pulsing through him, it was hard to discern who they were. That was, until a voice rang through the hollow.

“Virgil?”

He breathed out a sigh of relief at the familiar voice. Soon, he shuffled out from behind the fire.

“Roman?”

“Oh, thank goodness it was just you! I really thought there was a human up here!”

Virgil blinked at that, remembering what he came here for. His wings were tucked behind his back as he stepped closer to Roman and Remus. The warmth of the fire hit him as a breeze rushed into the hollow. It contrasted with the shivers that ran up his back, terrified how they’d react about his human friend.

“Heh, yeah… How come there aren’t any angels here?” His voice wavered as he spoke.

“Most of the attacks have been happening on the other side of the forest, so some of the soldiers let the injured angels stay at their hollows. But what are you doing here? I thought you said you weren’t feeling well.”

“Yeah! I was able to rip out all their hearts!” Remus piped up but Roman playfully smacked them on the arm, “But yeah, why are you here?”

Virgil’s gut twisted and turned. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. His mind almost froze as his fear tried to get the better of him. But he needed to focus. He needed to show his new wing to them and show some humans are good.

“Well… I wanted to show you guys something…”

Roman looked out the hollow, making Virgil’s fear spike up more. A heat rushed through his body, almost trembling.

“I think we have some time, what did you want to show us?” Roman said.

Virgil took in a deep breath as his body trembled. Soon, he took a step to the right, making room to open up his new wing. It slowly untucked from his back, opening it up to its full length. His heart raced, trying to keep his focus on maintaining the spell. If it fell to the ground limp, it certainly wouldn’t convince them to go to a human’s place. He bit his lip as he looked to the ground. It was silent in the hollow except for the occasional breeze or crackle from the fire. The moonlight and light from the fire illuminated the leather wing that stretched out for Roman and Remus to see. He held one hand in another, now daring to look back up at both of them. And there, the twins stood, their eyes locked on to the new wing with wonder and awe that could match a child’s. Roman’s wings were opened loosely while Remus’ just flopped to the ground.

“You- How-… Did you make that? It’s marvelous…”, Roman said.

“I-… I didn’t actually…” Virgil started, “A friend of mine made it…”

“Who’s this friend? I must meet them at once! They’ll make an excellent healer!”

At that, Virgil coward slightly, taking in a deep breath and gathering his words.

“A human made it…”

“A human?”

“Yeah… a human…”

“You’re… friends with a human?” Remus asked, concern and disgust on their face.

At that, Virgil's whole body tensed at their words. It must sound so wrong to them, to be friends with a human. To be honest, it did sound like he was lying to himself. Like this was some cruel prank for those idiot twins. His hands scrunched up more, his claws almost digging into the skin. He tried as hard as he could to keep the wing open and not fall limp. A cool breeze entered the hollow, Logan popping in his mind. Soon, he sucked in a deep breath, speaking.

"Yes…", he started, "His name is Logan and he really wanted to help me fly again, so he made this…"

There was a small silence between all of them, tension in the air.

"I was hoping you might want to meet him…"

Again, there was silence, making Virgil look down to the ground once more. Roman’s eyes pierced at him, making him just want to fly off and cry himself to sleep. They were always so critical of him so why would this be any different? Why would they care what he had to say? Now they’ll just go off and kill-

“Virgil?” Roman said, concern in his voice.

Virgil blinked as he touched his face, tears dripping down making his cheeks and hands wet. Roman and Remus soon walked closer to him, Roman crouching down to be more eye level with him, while Remus stared at his wings that went limp. Roman’s hand was quick to wipe away his tears, trying to sooth him. As tall as Roman was, this didn’t scare him all that much. Their hands were so big compared to even his face. All of a sudden, their arms opened wide, and soon he hugged them as best he could, burying his face in their shoulder. Remus, on the other hand, looked solemnly at Virgil’s right wing. A frown formed on their face as they looked at the feathers. They stared at his wing for a while as he cried, the only other sounds were the trees leaves rustling near the hollow and the soft crackle of the roaring fire behind all of them. Soon, Roman spoke once Virgil pulled away, sniffling.

“I know sometimes I don’t seem to care…” Roman started, “But I made a promise to myself I’d protect every angel in these mountains, and that includes you… If this human really means well, then we’ll meet them for you.”

Virgil just nodded as he continued to sniffle. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself. His whole body shook, overwhelmed and tired already. Soon, Roman's eyes looked over to his purple wing, and he looked down to the ground. A strong wave of shame rushed through him, his hand gripping his wrist. 

"Can we touch it?" Remus asked.

He just nodded yes, now wanting this conversation over with. He got his answer and he needed no more. Soon, the fingers of the other two angels grazed the clipped part of his wing, making him shudder. He focused on the warmth of the fire hitting his back as they both inspected the wing. How humiliating this was… Roman's eyes gazed at the plucked out feathers from the inside of his wing, frowning as it caught their view. 

"Can you look up at me, Virge?" Roman asked.

Virgil did, an exhausted look spread across his face.

"We're here for you, alright?"

He nodded yes, sighing.

"Alright then," they started as they looked out the hollow, "We need to go back, but promise me you'll be okay here? And let those feathers grow out again."

"I'll be fine…" Virgil sighed.

"Good," Roman said as Remus soon flew out, "And please, take care of yourself?" 

"I'll try…"

Roman nodded as they looked at Virgil. Soon, they looked back out the hollow and flew out back into the night.


	12. The Soldier & the Wing's Maker

A bird chirped as the sun rose above Angelmont. The sunlight soon touched the grass of the winding forest that the angels called home. There was a desolate mood that lingered in the crisp air, one of fights and fleeing, one of darkness and death. There wasn't much else for an angel to do at this hour of the day except hunker down to sleep and hope for a better night. The leaves in the trees rustled as the weary angels who fought off the humans flew back to their hollows, tired as ever. Except for one angel…

Roman flew above the forest, checking for any remaining injured that needed saving. The warm sunlight graced his red feathers as the wind rang in his ears. For a second, he closed his eyes, thoughts swirling all around his head. Just a week ago, he agreed to meeting Virgil’s so-called human friend and now the day was here. A tension spread through his body as he thought about the human. What exactly were their intentions? Why would they ever help an angel? It boggled him that a human could even show an ounce of kindness to even a different species! Wasn’t greed always on their minds? The thought boiled and bubbled all over his mind as he flew absentmindedly through the day. He simply listened to the flaps of his wings as he started to head back to his hollow.

In the distance, the markets, and towns of Angelmont all started to bustle with its usual noise and activity. A normal day it was for the humans. A sigh escaped as he tried to calm himself down a little more. He had to admit, there was something gnawing at him, a growing dread creeping around. But it couldn’t be so serious! It’s just like the nervousness any angel gets when starting to fight off a human. Soon, he brushed the feeling to the side, wanting to at least have a clear mind before he met this particular human. He had to take the chance for Virgil, for these angels.

“Hey Roman!”

Roman looked up to see his brother, Remus, now flying by his side.

“Hey Remus, no more injured?”

“If you mean the humans, then yes! I ate them.”

“No, you fool! I-”

“Yes, yes, there’s no more injured angels,” Remus said as he rolled his eyes.

“Good, let’s head back to the hollow.”

It wasn’t too long when they both arrived at their hollow. As Roman flew in, he looked over to Virgil who was already standing there. He glanced over at the leather wing that was stretched out slightly from behind their back. Soon, he looked at them in the eyes, feeling something burn at him.

“You alright?” he asked Virgil.

Virgil just nodded, still standing there, almost blank.

“We _are_ willing to do this, Virgil. I promise. Just lead the way.”

Virgil took in a deep sigh, their warm breath contrasting the cool air of the hollow. They looked out and walked over to the entrance, looking down at the forest bellow, now covered in the glimmering sunlight. Roman stood there in awe as he watched them slowly open up the leather wing, making a shadow of them on the hollow floor. A small breeze passed by, ringing throughout the hollow. They stood there for a second or two, still as ever. What in the world could be going on in their mind? Roman hadn't a clue but whatever it was, he just hoped they trusted him. 

After the silence, Virgil jumped down, gliding off into the forest. Roman's ears perked up as he watched for a second how they almost danced in the wind, even if they couldn't fly just yet. They were quite a bit shaky, but after so long not flying and touching the sky, he knew it'd be a learning process. After gliding down, Virgil grabbed onto a tree, racing through the branches and leaves. Soon, Roman and Remus followed, flying close to the treetops. The leaves rustled under Roman's wings and the sunlight almost blinded him. He never understood how in the world could those humans see anything with this much light from the blinding sun. The only thing keeping him from crashing into a tree was the sound of Virgil's footsteps and they jumped from one tree to another below. 

After a short trip down the mountain, the sound of the old river echoed through the forest floor. Roman could smell the small mist that came from it, clean and fresh. As he kept flying, a thought came to mind. What if this was a trap? What if Virgil was working with the enemy? He was never very fond of the purple fellow, especially in the beginning, but he could consider them a friend now. They wouldn't do such a thing! Of course they wouldn't do such a thing. He shook his head, his mind completely scattered. He was rarely a mess, especially in something like this, but his mind couldn’t help to overthink this time. With a deep breath, he pushed those thoughts at the back of his mind. This wasn’t the time to be caught up in worries. 

“We’re almost there,” Virgil said as they jumped to the ground near the rushing river, panting. 

Soon, Roman and Remus landed on the ground, the trees giving all of them some cover from any angel hunters still out. Roman sniffed the air, the coolness of the air near the river clearing his lungs. It had been a while since he really stopped at the river other than to get water or fish for himself or his brother. He’d always dash in and out, never able to stop to appreciate its beauty. Well, there were much more important things to do anyway. 

After a long pause, resting for a bit, Virgil started walking again leading the way. Roman walked through the dense forest, following them. Though the treetops covered most of the forest floor, there were still little cracks of sunlight that came through. When he’d pass under them, the warmth spread across his body making his wings tingle. The grass felt soft under his feet as he traversed the shadowed forest floor. It had been a while since he’d walk on the ground, much preferring to fly above or perch in the trees. The softness of grass was a welcome compared to the rock ground of his hollow. For a moment, he smiled, remembering the times he’d play fight with Remus when he was little. 

In the distance, hidden behind the trees, not so far from the river, the wooden human dwelling caught Roman’s eye. There was a strong smell of old soaked wood and it seemed almost familiar. What do those humans call it? His mind already started racing with question, his head wanting to tip over, but as soon as his mind scrambled, he let go of the thought. Perhaps he was quite sleepy, the sun was already high in the sky after all.

Roman looked at the dwelling in awe, his wings almost going limp and his mouth slightly ajar. The soaked wood smell engulfed him and almost put him in a trance at how strong the smell was. He’d never gotten so close to a human dwelling before. Was this how they always smelled? It looked so tiny too in comparison to his hollow in the mountain. He knew humans were quite small from fighting, but he never got a good look at one. Before his thoughts could go anywhere else, the clanking of Virgil’s claws on the steps made him blink back to reality. He watched as they knocked at the door, waiting in anticipation. 

Soon, after a few seconds, the dwelling squeaked open, a man in blue clothes stepping out with some contraption. Roman took a good look at them as they walked down the stairs onto the grass, the sun starting to rise higher and higher, lighting the place. Immediately, the height difference was apparent as the human had a look of awe in their eyes. 

“You’ve never seen an angel this tall?” Roman asked, a cocky smile spreading across his face as he almost loomed over the human.

“No, never!” the human said, “But, before we lose track, my name is Logan and you must be Roman and Remus, correct?”

“Yep, that’s us!” Remus said.

“Alright, then let’s get started,” Logan said, “We can go to the back of the cabin where it’s shadier.”

Roman watched as Logan slowly walked to the back of their dwelling. There was a very small clearing with little light from the sun coming through. The grass here seemed almost damp and there was a coolness in the air. Only the cracks in the dense trees let some light in, making those spots warmer. He looked over to Logan, curious. How exactly did they end up here? If their dwelling was here, then they must be living here. But why in the forest dangerously close to angels? When he got a bit closer to them, he sniffed them, almost the same strong damp forest smell coming from the human themself.

Roman shifted his attention to the wing like contraption that Logan laid on the forest floor. It looked similar to Virgil's, just a bit smaller and with some leather missing. His head tilted as he looked at the shiny sticks that poked out what seemed to be the base of the artificial wing. For a moment he thought until a light sparked in his mind. It must’ve been some kind of metal. It was a luxury to have any metal except for the collected weapons from dead humans he killed. The most they had were leather boots and gloves and a helmet if you were lucky. He was tired of having to use his claws all the time and the heated rocks he'd fling at humans in fights. Soon another light spark. If he played his cards right with this human, maybe he could get supplies for his army.

"The wings aren’t fully done but this is what I have at the moment," Logan started, "I'm not sure where to get more leather, but once I do I'll have to learn how to fly."

“When do you think you can get them done?” Roman asked.

A subtle frown formed on the human’s face as they looked down at the half-finished leather wing. Their eyebrows raised, as if a realization hit them. Roman’s ears perked up from the rustle of the leaves and in anticipation for Logan’s answer.

“I’m not sure, to be quite honest,” Logan started, “I’ll need to find some more supplies to finish it, but once I do, I’ll be able to test if it works.”

Roman nodded, deep in his thoughts. The worry he had before about this human - about Logan - was starting to go away. It was impressive that they even made a functional wing for Virgil. From what he’s seen so far, it looked sturdy and made for some rough flying in rain and snow. Though, speaking of Virgil…

"Can you tell me why you made Virgil a wing?"

Logan blinked for a second, glancing over at Virgil, then back to Roman. 

“Well…” Virgil started, “I fell out a tree and Logan helped me.”

Roman could hear the small giggle they let out and kicked their leg a bit to try to silence them.

“And once I helped Virgil,” Logan started, “I suggested I make one for him. I was already making my own so it doesn’t hurt to help an angel.”

There was a silence from all of them, only the wind and the rustling leaves rang in Roman’s ears. He stared at Logan, surprised at his words. 

“You truly think that?”

Logan blinked.

“Yes, I do,” they said, their voice as calm as the slow wind, “I despise angel hunters, if that’s what you were wondering.”

“Are- are you serious?” Remus jumped in.

“Yes…” Logan said, “I… came here to escape from becoming an angel hunter. It’s why I live here now.”

Roman looked down again at the unfinished leather wing sprawled out on the grassy ground, inspecting it. His mind raced with Logan’s answer from before, leaving human civilization just to not hunt down his own kind. At first, as much as he hated to admit it, the mere mention of Virgil’s human friend disgusted him, made his stomach twist in all directions and knot. But now, he thought differently. There was a genuine tone in their answer and if this human could make Virgil trust them of any angel, then maybe, just maybe they were trustworthy. 

“You know what?” Roman started as he looked up at Logan, “Why don’t I teach you how to fly? You’ve done a lot for my friend, and I’d certainly like to get to know you more sometime.”

Something in Logan’s eyes just sparkled like a child on Christmas morning as soon as Roman spoke. They still had a more emotionless face, but just a hint of joy and delight cracked through that numb look of theirs. 

“I’d love to! I will let Virgil know when I’m finished making these wings,” Logan said, a smile forming on their face. 

“Good, and we best be going. It’s getting quite late for us,” Roman said as he turned around, ready to fly off.

“Of course, you have a good day.”

“You too. We shall meet again.”

Soon, Roman, Remus, and Virgil took off back to the mountains for a full day's rest, the sunlight glowing down on them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys!!! i finally got to writing another chapter! from now on, i'll try to be posting every other saturday. i hope y'all had a wonderful thanksgiving, and thank you so much for still reading! you guys are amazing!


	13. A Walk Through Forest Winding

Thomas panted as he ran up the hill into the forest, the moonlight shining down on him. In the distance, the sound of fighting and both the screams of angels and people flooded into his ears. There, he hid behind a tree and sat, resting for a moment. At least with the commotion, no one should be able to find him, and if they did, they’d certainly wrangle him up in a situation he didn’t like. He took in a deep breath, his lungs filling with cool air. A wind blew by making the leaves rustle and the trees sing. Soon, he took his backpack, stuffing his hand in it.

“No… no, not that…” he mumbled to himself.

Thomas kept rummaging through as he heard a heated battle coming closer and closer to him. The heart in his chest pounded, and a nervous sweat rolled down his face. He may be the king of Angelmont, but it didn’t mean he was invincible. 

“Ah, finally!” 

There, he pulled out a map, opening up the rolled piece of paper out. On the right of the map was Angelmont in all its glory. Markets and towns were drawn onto the beautifully colored map, and there to the left was angel territory, the forests and mountains. Thomas pointed over to where he was, right in the middle of the small strip of forest before the mountains started. 

“I just need to head up more north near the river, and I should be there…”

Soon, Thomas rolled the map back up, stuffing it into his backpack, and swinging it back on. He stood up against the wind, and the fight he heard earlier was creeping closer and closer. After a quick look around, his head beating, he ran once more across the hilly forest. The dirt rumbled every time he took a step and the bushes he passed by would hum as he ran. Every passing moment, the night became cooler as he fled from the heat of the battles south of the forest. His heart rang in his ears and he ran for all he was worth. Goodness, how much longer until he’d get there?

All of a sudden, in the distance, the trees disappeared one by one until Thomas ended up in a clearing. Not the sound of a human nor angel echoed here. The grass was tall and thick, the long strands hitting his arms and legs as he walked through. A deep breath filled his lungs, and, in an instant, some deep and wild spark came to him. Some wild magic had shook his bones and his very soul that lay deep in his core. There was an almost tart taste to this mysterious energy and it made his fingers twitch. But just why does such an ordinary looking place have something so energetic?

Thomas looked up at the mountains to his left. The glowing embers from the angels' hollows lit the dark mountains with a soft glow. They were giant stars painted onto the mountains and were a lovely sight to see. His mind raced with all sorts of curious thoughts. What was it like living as an angel? What was it like living up in those mountains? The tall grass rustled in the wind as he stood there in thought. Though, as much as he’d love to stay and look, there was another place he needed to go to, somewhere he’s been dying to see. 

Thomas started walking through the grass again, going back into the forest. His mind felt heavy with fog, but he brushed off the feeling. He had just walked up all the way to the forest after all. The trees’ shadows covered the forest floor as a cool wind blew by, just enough to calm his still running heartbeat. He looked around, trying to find any clues that a human could be living in these woods. There seemed to only be a vast darkness, only hints of moonlight giving off any light. That was until, in the distance, there glowed a soft warm light, farther out from where he stood. 

The soft grass crumpled underneath Thomas’ feet as he traversed the dark forest toward the soft glow in the distance. All he could hear now was his own breathing. It was as if the whole forest had gone still for him. As he walked closer, the mysterious light grew bigger and bigger into his vision. He could see it light up a small portion of the forest. A rushing river nearby rang in his ears and he could almost feel the heat of the light touch him. 

Finally, at last, Thomas arrived to what he thought was a myth. But was this truly the place he was looking for? The cabin did look very well kept and if there was light coming from it, someone must live here. His heart raced as he hid behind a tree. He could _not_ be seen at all cost. If any angel or angel hunter found him, he’d be in for some deep trouble. Some sweat started to run down his face, despite the chilly wind. He looked up to the moon just for a second and stared at the stars, making a wish. If Janus was right, he’d finally have a solution to all this… As he kept looking up at those twinkling stars in the sky, he took in a deep breath. He peeked over the tree, looking into the window. Not too long after, a thump rang in his ear as someone appeared at the window. A small gasp entered his lungs and his eyes widened. It _was_ them.

After all these years, they were alive and well, living in the forest alone. Thomas looked in closer, trying to find a hint of invention somewhere. Soon, after a few more moments, they stepped back from the window, disappearing into the cabin once again. Cool air filled his lungs as he looked around for another hiding spot, somewhere just a bit closer. He looked down at the ground before him, just below the window. A small patch of ground was covered in darkness, the burning light from the window not able to reach it. He could hide there but if they stepped outside, they’d either run back inside, or freeze and coward in fear before him. His mind, just for a moment, ran with all types of worries. A heat spread across his face again, debating what he should do. Should he stay here and hope he saw something incredible? Or did he go up there and risk getting caught? He bit his lip as he clung to the tree. 

“Well, it’s now or never…”

Soon, Thomas ran over to the small, shaded area near the window, trying to hide in the small space as best as possible. He took in quiet breaths so they wouldn’t hear him. Something about the soft grass at least calmed him for a bit. The strands fitted snuggly through his fingers as he placed a hand on the ground to stabilize himself. Gently, he pressed an ear to the wall, listening. Soon, the sound of walking started until it got quieter and quieter. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath for a moment. As his eyes opened, he stood up a bit and peeked through the window and there he saw it.

“A pair of wings…” Thomas thought, “An actual pair of artificial wings…”

He looked over at the beauty that was so meticulously crafted. Even though it looked unfinished, it was clear that these wings would certainly take flight someday. The light from the fireplace bounced off the metal rods that stuck out from the thin but tough leather. It sat there on a small rack, almost as if it was displayed for all the world to see. His heart raced at the thought of using it, or just holding it in his hands. Oh, to have a beauty like that invention right before his eyes would be a miracle. 

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps and flapping wings captured his attention, pulling Thomas out of his daze. And as quick as a fox, he ran off back into the forest as fast as he could. His mind yearned to see those wings again, but he assured himself it was all he needed to see. But a thought circled through his mind as he ran through the hilly forest. Would this be the solution to all this? All this madness? A wind soon blew against his back as if nature itself was pushing him away and back to his castle. Maybe nature was saying he was a madman, but even so, he knew better. 


	14. The Confrontation

The howling wind and rushing river filled Virgil’s ears as he ran down the mountain, his heart racing. The coolness of the stone made his hands and feet freeze, but, right now, he just couldn’t care. He took some time off from helping Roman and Remus so he could spend some quality time with Logan. The human was so busy all the time, they’d pass right out before moonrise. Moonlight shined down on him as he felt pebbles and rocks break off and fall into the water of the river below. And with a quick push off the mountain wall, he disappeared into the dense forest. 

Virgil was quick to grab on to a nearby branch and run through the trees. The leaves shook as he pounced from one tree to another, keeping his wings slightly open for support. He took a big whiff of the air as he stopped for a moment. He smelled that old rain smell of wet forest, now knowing he wasn’t too far from Logan’s dwelling. Soon, he started running through the trees again, and not too long after, found a glowing light against the darkness of the forest. As soon as he arrived, he jumped down to the doorstep, a heat flowing through his face and his heart about to burst through his chest.

As Virgil was about to go up the steps, the sound of a rustling bush echoed through the air. He looked over to his right in the sound of the direction, but there seemed to be nothing there, unless there was an angel hunter? His teeth bit down on his lips and he folded his wings tight to his back. Oh fuck, what if an angel hunter saw him? He took a quick look around as he walked up the steps and soon knocked at Logan's door. All he wanted was in and _now_. Against the cool breeze, a hot sweat was starting to drip down his face. He looked back over to where he heard the sound. He could've sworn he heard something… Whatever it was, it better not have been an angel hunter.

Soon, in no time, a friendly face opened the door for Virgil. A big smile formed on Logan's face as they looked up at him and welcomed him

"Come in, come in!" Logan said as they let Virgil in. He was quick to enter the cabin, his heart still racing from the sound he heard.

The smell of cooked fish filled the room, bringing a smile of his own on the angel's face. He'd always cook his own fish from time to time but eating at Logan's place was always a treat. He watched as the fire cooked the fish, the skin starting to fry. Gently, he closed the door behind him as Logan went to close the shutters. Soon, he looked over at the unfinished wings that sat on the table, the metal frame poking out from the leather at the base. Soon, he looked over at Logan as he closed the last of the shutters. 

"I hoped the lights helped you get here. The forest is always extremely dark, especially here," Logan said.

"It did help me," Virgil started, "The wind was blowing the scent of your place away." 

"Hmm, that is good. I just hope no one else saw the light."

Soon, Logan walked over the fireplace to grab the cooked fish. Virgil smiled as he sniffed the air once more. God… it smelled heavenly. Just what did that human do to make a simple fish smell and taste so good? They grabbed the skewers that laid against the wall with the fish and gave one to Virgil. He looked over at them, a warm smile once again forming on his face that matched the cozy atmosphere of the cabin. The glow from the fire helped heat up the cabin, and the soft glow lit up the place as if it was a mini sun. Soon, he brought his attention to the fish that was before him. A quick sniff was all it took for him to start munching down. The skin crackled as he bit into it and the meat was as soft as feathers. Nothing could compare to some good fish.

Logan chuckled as they sat down and soon bit into their fried fish, another crackle filling the room. They watched as Virgil scarfed down the entire fish in seconds, head and all. 

"You must like the fish?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, it's the best! Plus, I haven't eaten much today, so I hope you don't mind the mess…" Virgil said, wiping off some crumbs on his face.

Logan just smiled as they continued to eat their fish. Virgil, in the meantime, looked over to the wings that sat still on the desk near the windows. He’d seen them time and time again, but something felt different, or rather the same. The leather was still fastened tight onto the metal base while some of the metal rods poked out. Two belts were attached at the bottom and the top of the middle section of the wings to secure the whole contraption to the person. Other than that, it looked like nothing had changed the last time he visited Logan’s place. 

All of a sudden, Logan stood up with an empty skewer, soon throwing it into the fire. Virgil stood up, doing the same. Even from the warm tone in the cabin at the moment, a lingering worry seemed to bubble in him, though, not for himself. He turned around to Logan again, who was now standing at their desk, inspecting the wings with an anxious look. 

“Are you alright?” Virgil asked, as he walked over.

A sigh left Logan as he said, “In all honesty, no. I’ve run out of leather for the wings and I’m not sure where else I could get them. I could sneak into the kingdom, but it’s risky.”

Logan stepped forward, their face, though subtle, was heating up. They were about to speak again until a hard bump into the desk sent the wings to the ground, bending a metal rod. Their eyes widened, a rare panic flooding their entire body, one that Virgil could feel. Swiftly, he picked the wings up off the ground and placed them back on the desk near Logan. 

“Oh dear…” Logan mumbled with a defeated look on their face, “Can you get my hammer from under the bed please?”

Virgil just nodded as he kneeled down to reach under Logan’s bed just across from the desk. The crackle of the fire and the warmth filled the room, not in a calming way. A gut feeling grabbed at him as he looked under the bed. Something just seemed off… As he searched for a hammer, a clean and well-organized array of items filled his vision. Though it was mostly dark under the bed, some light from the fire gave him a better view of everything. There were mostly boxes stacked on top of each other. He grabbed one, and from how light it felt, he put it aside, assuming it was empty. One by one, he kept grabbing more, realizing just how many were empty. There were labels on each one but he wasn’t all that good at reading. Perhaps the boxes were storage for materials? Logan did say they ran out. 

After looking through the empty boxes just to make sure nothing else was in them, he saw a box covered with a cloth. He grabbed it, finally feeling some weight to it. A smile formed on his face. It couldn’t be this hard to find something, right? He took a quick glance over to Logan, discovering they’d bury his nose under their blueprints as he slowly tried to find the hammer. A quiet sigh escaped, thankful they weren’t complaining at how long finding this hammer was taking. Soon, he took the cloth off, placing it down with the boxes. As he was about to open the box, he paused. With a quiet step, he shuffled closer to the light, and as soon as it was in view, his ears perked up. It was _the box._

Before Virgil even met Logan, there was a box they’d always hold in the morning as the moon settled down for the day. The human always clutched it close, but it somehow disappeared from him when he met them. But finally, he had a chance to reveal the mystery of this box. He took another glance at Logan, still going over their blueprints. A deep breath entered his lungs as he looked back at the box he’d so wonder about. His hands gently held at the sides of the lid, and as he slid the lid off and looked into the box, his heart sank. 

There was a small, severed, purple wing that sat in the box, almost preserved with no imperfections. The feathers were sleek and just as small as the wing itself. Virgil looked over to the base of it where it was chopped off, now shaking as he kept inspecting it. Only the main part of the wing was chopped off from whatever poor angel it came from. Though, all of a sudden, he blinked, a thought coming to mind. He looked at his back and slowly and quietly unfolded his artificial wing open. He looked back at the small wing then back to the base of his wing, the stub that remained from the accident. A heat rushed through him and he started shaking even more. A painful memory of the past flashed in his head. 

A distant scream rang in Virgil’s ear. The pain from the blade of the axe breaking his bone surging through his body once again. A pool of blood on the fresh grass beneath him, and then the panicked breathing of a boy running back into the mountains swirled in his mind. His head started to go dizzy, and he felt like he could faint at any second. Though, instead, he took a deep and shaky breath in, trying to calm down. Tears formed in his eyes as he stared at the small purple wing. _His wing…_ The very same wing that was taken from him was right in this human’s cabin. He started to shake more, tears dripping down his face until he took in another deep breath. 

With a slow step, Virgil took the box in his hands and shimmied his way out from under the bed. He stood up, disgusted. Has Logan been lying this whole time? About hating angel hunting? He tried to look down at the small wing again but couldn’t. It’d do him no good to start crying again. He quietly turned around, seeing Logan now inspecting their invention. 

“Logan…” Virgil said. 

Logan turned around, their mouth open to say something until their eyes landed at the box. Even as emotionless as their face might be, just a hint of worry shined through their eyes as they stood up.

“What is this?” Virgil asked, his voice low and cracking. 

“It’s… um…” Logan paused, their worry finally spreading all over their face. 

“Is this my wing?”

Silence.

“I said, is this my wing?” Virgil’s voice cracked even more.

Logan stood still as they looked down at the small, severed wing. Their eyes went glassy while they held onto the chair behind them for support. Virgil clutched the box in his hands harder as he waited for an answer. A heat started to bubble in him, getting more and more impatient as time ticked away for both of them. 

“Answer me!” Virgil screamed, a terrified and pained look now on Logan’s face.

For a few more seconds there was silence. Not even the fire in the background seemed to stir. Finally, a shaky breath from Logan echoed through the cabin.

“Yes…” 

Suddenly, the fire roared as Virgil grabbed Logan’s neck and slammed them on to the wood floor. He dropped his severed wing to the side to grab at them more so they didn’t move. All that ran through his mind now was hot throbbing in his head and his racing, aching heart. 

“Why did you do it? Why?” Virgil screamed as he squeezed Logan’s neck more. 

Logan grabbed on to Virgil’s wrist, trying to pry his hands off.

“It was- it was for my birthday, okay? I was little and my father tried to get angel wings as a present!” 

Tears flowed down their face as they tried to keep calm, but it only made Virgil tighten his grip. 

“I’m sorry, okay? Just kill me already, please…” 

Logan cried and broke down, covering their face with their hands. For a second, Virgil stared at the scene, his hands on Logan’s neck while tears dripped down their face. His heart was still fuming, ready to choke the human death. He didn’t need the damn bitch anymore anyways! He already got his replacement wing.

Virgil nearly started to choke Logan again until he bruschetta finger against their face by accident, a tear dripping on to it. All of a sudden, there wasn’t a rage in him anymore. All the heat that was in his face and head left. Finally, his eyes opened, finally really taking in the scene. As mad as he was, there was no way he could take the life of his only true friend. Slowly, he took his hands off of Logan’s neck and sat next to them as they sat up as well. They curled up into a ball, their face in their knees and their whole being shaking. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Logan mumbled through their tears. 

Only the crackle from the fire and Logan’s sobbing echoed through the cabin. Virgil was about to scoot closer to them but stopped himself. Oh god, what had he done. He bit his lip, terrified he’d hurt them again. So he sat there, letting his friend cry. He looked away from them as shame and guilt filled every nook and cranny of his body. His mind felt fuzzy as he tried to scramble and find a way to at least try and comfort Logan. 

“It’s not your fault…” Virgil said as he tried to look back up at them. 

“I know- know but…”

“You didn’t do it…” 

“But I…”

Virgil soon shushed Logan as he looked at them. Any ounce of anger he had in him vanished, only concerned for them now. For a while, they both sat there, Logan’s sobs starting to come to a stifle. All of a sudden, they spoke.

“Can you come closer?”

Virgil blinked at the sudden request, surprised, but he soon scooted over and sat next to Logan. Gently, he wrapped them with his wing, the soft feathers now touching them. The heat from the fire warmed them both. Soon, they laid their head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm across his waist, pulling them into a hug.

“It wasn’t your fault…” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n: hi guys! thank you so so much for reading! happy holidays guys! i’d also like to shoutout my friend Mythological_Beauty on Ao3 for helping me edit this chapter! check out her work, it’s amazing!
> 
> Mythological_Beauty: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mythological_Beauty


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